Not This Time
by Rowboat Girlyman 1
Summary: When Armin and Mikasa are given the chance to fix the mistakes of the past they will do everything they can to save their friends. Even if they need to abandon their very humanity to do it.
1. I'm dreaming right?

_Darkness_

_Silence_

_Emptiness_

_A flicker_

_Noise_

_Screams_

"_Murderer"_

"_Monster"_

"_Traitor"_

"_Useless"_

"_I always hated you."_

_Steam_

_Fire_

_Blood_

_Burning_

_Pain_

_Pain_

_**Pain**_

Armin lurched up, breathing erratically and grasping at his chest, _'what was that?'_ he thought as he looked around _'and where am I?'_.

He was thoroughly confused last thing he remembered was him and Mikasa being placed in a jail cell by Eren and his 'Yeagerists'. At that Armin felt a spike of anger as the memories of how Eren had treated them, how could he say those things to Mikasa, how could he hurt her like that?!

He forced down those painful memories, realising that figuring out where exactly he was should be his main priority. It was dark but he could make out the first light of dawn passing through a window, "_So, I'm above ground"_ this only caused more confusion, there was no way the Yeagerists didn't know about his 'ability', and so they must have known that placing him above ground would allow him to transform without the risk of being crushed.

He looked down noting he was laying on a bed, the firmness (and itchiness) of it letting him know it was definitely military and the presence of other beds and their occupants indicated this was most likely a barracks.

Had he been moved in the night?

Armin may not have been the lightest sleeper in the survey corps, but there was no way he was picked up and moved in the night without waking up, say nothing of the fuss Mikasa, Connie or Jean would raise if they tried to take Armin in the night.

Speaking of other occupants, he squinted through the darkness, trying to make out any faces, most where either facing away or hidden under covers. However, Armin noticed that the people he could see seemed quite small and young _"Must be the new cadets, they were stationed in Shiganshina, so at least I'm still in the district."_.

"Ok, think… think" he whispered to himself "I'm above ground, likely in the cadet barracks. I must have been drugged and moved in this night." That solved the how and the where but not the why. His mind was racing trying to understand why he was here, was this some kind of bizarre interrogation technique to confuse and disorientate him so he might reveal Zeke and Levi's location? If so, it was a dangerous gambit, and he could now shift into his titan form without the fear of being crushed or harming his friends.

He didn't want to hurt the new Cadets but if he had to choose between them and saving his friends, his family, he would not hesitate. He had killed a woman to save Jean; he had devastated the Marleyan fleet and harbour to bring Eren home and…

And he had punch Eren for hurting Mikasa. 

This time he didn't need to push those painful memories away as he was interrupted by the door being kicked open.

"GOOD MORNING, MAGGOTS! I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED YOUR LIE IN! GET YOUR LAZY ARSES UP AND GET TO THE TRAINING FIELD. NOW" screamed a very irate Keith Shadis.

It may have been 4 years since Armin was a cadet but the muscle memory of Shadis screaming at them to get up kicked in before his brain did as he, along with all the other cadets, shot up and started throwing on his uniform which was laid out at the end of his bed ready to be quickly thrown on just like he had it during his own cadet days.

After rapidly throwing on his uniform and starting to walk towards the door Armin hesitated, everything seemed wrong, out of place. The room seemed too big, the bed too large, yet the uniform was the right size, despite it having the cross-swords of the cadets rather than the wings of freedom of the scouts it fitted perfectly. As one of the shortest soldiers in the scouts (only Levi was smaller) his uniform needed to be adjusted for even the smallest size available to properly fit him, even as a cadet his uniform had to be adjusted.

There was no way that this uniform should be able to fit him, and yet it did.

Armin had always been observant; it's what allowed him to find out the Female Titan's identity and let him figure out how to defeat the Colossal Titan when they retook wall Maria, he noticed the little things that others would miss.

All the things he had noticed since waking up had led him to one definitive conclusion that something was very, VERY, wrong here.

A hand grasped his shoulder, and Armin nearly jumped out of his skin. He quickly spun around, face paling and eyes widening in shock and disbelief at the sight before him.

"You alright, Armin? You look like you've seen a ghost?" asked a concerned, 13-year-old Eren Yeager.

* * *

_'Don't freak out, don't freak out, don't freak out.'_ was all that was going through Armin's mind as he stood to attention in the training field surrounded by ghosts.

After stammering out some excuse about bad dreams to Eren, he had fled the barracks only to run straight into a young Jean and Marco.

"Hey! Watch it, Arlert" yelled Jean. Armin was too shocked to say anything but was fortunately saved by Marco "Don't be a dick, Jean. It was an accident. Anyway, Armin has the right idea, if we don't hurry up Shadis will make us run laps until we throw up… again"

"This is a dream, a really weird dream. It has to be. Any moment now I will wake up back in that cell." He vaguely hears Shadis telling them what they will be doing in training that day, but he doesn't pay any attention. All around him are people who have been dead for years; Mina, Franz, Hannah, Thomas, Marco and countless others who faces and names had been burnt into Armin's memories after the horrors of Trost.

He feels his heart give a painful lurch as he sees Sasha only a few metres away nibbling on a piece of bread, she had been the most recent person of his family to have been ripped away from him.

"If this is a dream, it's a cruel one." he thinks bitterly, showing him everyone he once knew in happier, simpler times were their only concern was not getting on Shadis's Shit List. Why was he dreaming of this? It would only make the pain worse when he woke up, and they were still gone. 

He was dimly aware of Shadis dismissing them and followed the other cadets towards the mess hall for breakfast, deciding that simply going along with this scarily realistic dream was a better idea than having a full-on panic attack/mental breakdown at what was happening.

Armin let all the other cadets rush past him, he was too deep in thought to keep up with the others _'Why haven't I woken up yet?'_ he was aware he was dreaming, he must be, and had pinched himself several times, yet he was still here. "I want to wake up now" he mumbled to himself.

As he slowly approached the mess hall, he suddenly found a hand clamped firmly around his mouth, muffling his cry of panic, and was dragged behind one of the outhouses.

He struggled against the iron grip, but he had never been that strong so he couldn't breakaway. Once he had been dragged out of sight of any possible witness, he heard a familiar voice speak quietly into his ear "Armin, please calm down, it's just me." Armin stopped his struggle as he turned to look at a young Mikasa who looked every bit as confused as he felt.

"Armin, what on Earth is going on right now? How are we back in training, and how is everyone still alive? And why is everyone 13 again?!"

...

...

"Oh. I'm not dreaming this, am I?"


	2. Planning Ahead

In the end, neither Armin or Mikasa made it to breakfast that day; they spent that time desperately trying to throw together a rough idea of what the hell was happening. Armin came up with a theory that somehow their memories had been sent back to their younger bodies the only explanation as to how was that it had something to do with the 'Paths' mentioned in Grisha's diaries which connect all Eldians across space and time.

The next question was what they would do now? They knew all about the fake king, the titan shifters, Krista real identity, and what was waiting for them outside the walls. But even with this knowledge, would the two of them be able to save their friends and people?

They needed a plan before they could deal with the magnitude of challenges facing them, so they agreed to play along with the other cadets for now. 

Before they could continue their discussion, they were interrupted "There you two are! You missed breakfast" Eren threw them both a bread roll "Had to fight off potato girl to get these, so you best be thankful." His laughs slowly died out as he looked at the faces of his two dearest friends.

"What's wrong? Has something happened, did Horseface doing something?!"

"N-No, nothing happened. We're fine, honestly Eren."

"Rubbish! You both look pale and…"

"Armin said we're fine Eren. Come on; we have hand to hand combat training" Mikasa interrupted before grabbing Armin and headed off towards the training field. Clearly, Eren's hurtful words from the day before (or in several years) were still on her mind. 

* * *

When they reached the field, Shadis had paired everyone off to practice their grapples and throws. Jean with Marco, Reiner with Bertholdt, Armin with Mikasa and Eren with Annie. That last pairing caused Armin and Mikasa to tense up, and they had to stop themselves from stepping forward.

While they were both upset with what Eren had said and done to them, they both still cared deeply for him and seeing him being placed within arm's reach of the traitorous Female Titan was a disturbing notion. Eren, who was oblivious to the danger he was in, threw himself into training headfirst like he always did.

They knew Annie wouldn't reveal herself as she had no idea about Eren's own ability, but it wasn't much comfort for the two time-travellers. They kept an eye on them as they moved to a quieter corner of the field to continue the discussion about their situation.

"We can't let them hurt anyone Armin. We have to stop them" her eyes darting towards the traitorous trio.

"I know, but we can't just kill them."

A flash of anger spread across Mikasa's face "Armin, they've already killed thousands of people, they destroyed our home, and they're going to kill even more if they have the chance" she hissed.

"I know! What I meant was that we can't just kill them, because if we do that their powers will be given to a random new-born child. We're going to need their abilities if we are to stand any chance against the outside world."

She calmed noticeably at that "Fine, so what do we do?"

"Well…" Armin looked deep in thought "we'll have to deal with them one at a time and to make it look like an accident. If they become suspicious and think their secret is out it could be disastrous."

"Firstly, we need to get some titan spinal fluid so that we can secure their shifting abilities."

"How are we going to get that? We can't exactly jump over the wall and round up some titans to get some from."

Armin looked around double-checking no one was listening in "Historia's father. Her family have been passing the founding titan down for a century, and we know he had at least two injections, so there is a good chance he has some more or knows how to make it. The Reiss's chapel is in the North beyond the Orvud District."

Mikasa looked pensive "So we will have to wait until we do our winter training in the north or go AWOL for a few days to get it. Going AWOL would be quicker and give us more time to plan, but we could get kicked out of the military if we got caught."

"**ARLERT! ACKERMAN! STOP CHATTING AND GET FIGHTING!"** roared Shadis from across the field.

"We'll talk later." Armin said as he put up his fists. 

* * *

One week later

Keith Shadis stared into his glass of wine, as he swirled the liquid. It had been six months since the 104th cadets started their training, so it was time for his first bi-annual report to his superiors. He had to inform them about the number of dropouts since training began, the strengths and weakness of the remaining recruits, and who he believed would be in the top 10 when they graduate.

Most of the dropouts had done so within the first two weeks, not being able to deal with the stress and strain of military life. Of the remaining recruits, he wasn't sure who would reach the top 10; however, there were a few cadets who stood head and shoulders above the rest either due to their physical prowess or intelligence.

So far, his finest cadet was, without a doubt, Mikasa Ackerman. She was a natural at almost everything; hand to hand combat, survival training, 3D manoeuvrability training. She rarely made a mistake, and on the few occasions she had they had never happened again, she had almost superhuman strength and stamina and could follow orders to the letter.

She was, in short, the perfect soldier. However, for reasons unknown to Keith, it seems that in the last week she had somehow become even better, she flew through the air with a finesse that would make most experienced soldiers jealous. He had seen her pull off mid-air stunts that he doubted anyone outside the veterans of the scouting legion could do and yet she did all of this with an aura of bored repetitiveness that came with years of experience. 

Keith had no idea what had caused this sudden improvement, the only thing seemingly different about her was that rather than being Yeager's shadow, she had become Arlert's. While the three of them still ate and trained together, there was definitely some divide between the three.

Yeager pushed himself as hard as he could, slowly but surely improving. He would interact with the other cadets, both positive and negative interactions, making friends and rivals to push himself even harder.

But Arlert and Ackerman held back. They didn't ignore the other cadets, but they made no great effort to widen their group of friends. They trusted each other and would follow each other's orders and commands in team activities without question. He knew they came from Shiganshina and lived as orphaned refugees for two years before joining the military, and it wasn't unexpected for them to have some level of co-dependency after what they had been through.

The issue was that this new attachment had suddenly started when Ackerman underwent her improvement… and she wasn't the only one.

While Ackerman had gone from outstanding to magnificent Arlert had gone from being a mediocre soldier at best to top 10 material (maybe the lower half but still one of the best). While he lacked the finesse of his female friend, he was no slouch in the air. He times the bursts of his gas to give him the best results, completing obstacle courses only using a fraction of the gas used by the others.

But the most significant change had to be his personality; when he joined, Keith fully expected him to drop out within a week. He was physically weak, shy and easily pushed around when his friends weren't present. Yet he had stuck it out ignoring the jibes and insults from other cadets while stubbornly pushing on through his own inadequacies, it was… admirable.

But now Arlert was more assertive, confident and had a natural ability to strategise and plan. He now had an air of authority around him, which he lacked two weeks ago. 

But what truly stood out about both of them was their eyes. Keith had heard that the eyes are the windows to the soul, he had never brought into that crap, but when he looked at them, he could see both of them he could see pain and suffering beyond imagining, more than any other Shiganshina refugee, more than any 13-year olds should have ever experienced.

When he first looked into their eyes, for the first time since he left the scouts where he had seen friends and comrades torn apart and eaten, he felt truly disturbed.

Keith knocked back his drink and placed the glass on the table.

_'These three years will be very interesting.'_


	3. Lets Go

Hey all, just wanted to say that I'm not use to this website uploading system so updates may be slow. However, if you fancy reading ahead I just uploaded chapter 20 on Ao3 (Same fic name under the same username without the 1) 

And an extra thank you for the reviews, likes and follows!

* * *

In the end they had decided that waiting until winter training was not feasible, they wouldn't leave for the northern training course for several months and once they were there, they would be closely watched by both the northern and southern training instructors to make sure no one wandered off into the snow and froze to death.

Armin had calculated that even if they could get a strong horse to carry them, they could travel to the Chapel and back in about 16 hours if they rode with only minimal stops. That would give them several hours to rest the horse while they infiltrate and searched the chapel and its crystal cave for the spinal fluid. If they leave on the right day and at the right time, they could complete their mission without their absence being noted.

There were three annual holidays celebrate across the walls: Maria's Remembrance, Day of the Rose and Saint Sina. On these days everyone, even the cadets, was given the day off to do as they please. Normally the 104th cadets would either visit family, spend the day in Trost or just catch up on some much-needed sleep.

The next such holiday was Maria's Remembrance, which was only a week away. This gave Armin and Mikasa time to gather the supplies needed for their mission; Armin would get food and water for the trip, along with some hooded cloaks to obscure their identities, while Mikasa had told Armin she would get the horse and a weapon.

Despite them being the most difficult things to obtain Armin didn't doubt her for a second, he had learnt long ago that when Mikasa was determined to do something, she would do it, regardless of how impossible such a thing should be for mere mortals.

The cloaks had been easy to get, he found some old, unmarked cloaks in an old storage hut. He quickly 'borrowed' them and hid under his bed. The food had been more of a challenge, food supplies were stored in a locked pantry attached to the kitchen, he decided that rather than trying his luck with sneaking in he would go to the resident expert in the 104th.

He found her, naturally walking back from the kitchen towards the girl's barracks, steamed potato in hand.

"Hey, Sasha." The grief he felt when seeing and talking to her had started to fade since they had 'returned', the knowledge that they could save her had given him hope "I have a favour to ask. You know how to get into the kitchen pantry right?"

She wiped specks of food off her mouth before unashamedly looking around making sure Shadis wasn't in earshot. "I might do, depends on what you need?" she replied with a sly smile. Armin felt the corners of his mouth twitch upwards at Sasha easy go lucky behaviour "I need enough to fill this." He passed a small basket over to her Sasha.

She took the basket and looked over it, assessing how much food it could hold. "Yeah, I can do that, but on one condition." She stepped forward, leaning over him "Are you, Mr Arlert, taking someone out for a picnic?"

Armin may have been a battle-hardened soldier, he had seen death and destruction on a scale unimaginable, and yet a 12-year-old Sasha asking him if he's taking someone on a date completely breaks his composure. "W…what?! No, no I…" he stammers and splutters out, blushing like a tomato.

Sasha breaks into laughter, clutching her stomach. "Oh Armin, you're so cute when you're embarrassed. Calm down, I'm only teasing." Wiping away her tears of laughter, "I'll get you the food. When do you need it for?"

Still flustered from Sasha's teasing Armin quickly replied, "I need it for Remembrance Day."

Sasha nodded still smiling before they parted ways.

* * *

A few days later - Night before Maria's Remembrance

They could feel the excitement in the air as the other cadets prepared for their day off; Connie, Reiner and Jean had basically press-ganged/challenged Eren into joining them for a trip to Trost, to prove his manliness by seeing who can drink the most alcohol, apparently Jean knew a place where the acceptable drinking age was anyone who had cash to spend. Eren had asked them both to come along but they had declined, saying they had other things planned, this had clearly upset Eren as he had walked off in a huff.

They didn't like having to push Eren away, but everything they were doing what for him. They knew Eren wouldn't understand, he was so passionate and headstrong, if they told him the truth about the shifter trio, he would probably throw himself at them with whatever he could reach trying to kill them.

They watched him jump into the wagon leaving for Trost with heavy hearts, they didn't want to hurt him, but they knew that if he stayed at the training ground, he would notice their absence which would have led to many difficult questions being asked.

As the wagon passed through the boundary fence they turned and walked towards the boy's barracks, where they would undertake one final inventory check as they waited for the cover of night. When the sun finally dipped below the horizon, they donned their cloaks and headed towards the nearby forest, where the horse was being kept.

Mikasa climbed onto the horse and took the reins, offering a hand to help Armin up. "Ready Armin?" Armin settled behind her after securing the supplies, giving her a nod "Let's go."

* * *

Several hours later

They had ridden mostly in silence; only stopping once to switch positions giving Mikasa a chance to rest from guiding the horse. The gravity of the situation was immense, if they succeeded in this, it would be the first step in changing the future for the better.

While the silence wasn't awkward or oppressive Armin still felt the need to break it, he needed to ask a question which had been on his mind for a while.

"Mikasa," he said softly "we need to talk about what we are going after we get the fluid. Before we go after the traitors, we need to decide who will inherit their powers?"

Mikasa didn't reply immediately, he hadn't expected her to, after all, he had basically asked her who was going to inherit a 13-year long death sentence.

Armin looked over his shoulder at her seeing her staring at the moonlit sky clearly deep in thought, the quiet of the night only disturbed by the horse's galloping.

In a quiet, slow voice she eventually answered "We will. We are the only ones strong enough."

He knew what she meant; they would have to plot, murder, assassinate and lie. They would have to abandon their very humanity to save the people they loved.

Armin hadn't been surprised, he had also come to that conclusion, but he had wanted to know what she thought.

Swallowing the lump in his throat he asked, "You know what that means right, what we would have to do and what we would give up?" his tone wasn't dissuasive or accusatory, he just wanted to make sure she understood what they would be doing.

Slowly, she looked away from the night sky and looked directly at Armin.

"When we found out about the curse, after Shiganshina, I was distraught. No matter how hard I fought, how many people or titans I killed, I wouldn't be able to keep you and Eren save. You were both going to die and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I would have lost my family for the third time."

She was quiet for a few moments before she started again "Even if we do everything right; stopping the traitors, defeating Marley and finally achieving peace, Eren will still die."

"Even after what he said to me, to us, I can't imagine a future without him by our side or ours at his."

Armin saw a pained smile peak above her scarf, "Hannes told us we would always be at his side, always there for him even when he didn't want us to be. He was right, we should be at his side, no matter what."

"Even to the end."


	4. Unexpected Opportunities

Rod Reiss sat alone in the chapel, head in his hands. It had been three years to the day when he failed in his duty as a king, as a father.

His wife, a more loving and loyal spouse than he had even been, his brave sons; Dirk and Urklyn and his wonderful daughters; Abel, Florian and Frieda. All of them gone, wiped out by one man, the outsider.

Even now, three years after the fact, Rod still didn't understand how that man had found them, how he had known the truth about his family and the founding titan. He claimed to have come from a land outside the walls, and had begged them to help him, to use the founding titan to "liberate the Eldian people from oppression".

But Frieda had refused, telling the man that they deserved their fate for the crimes they had committed.

The man had looked shocked, then angry and finally remorseful. He apologised and pulled out a small knife then ran it across his palm. A deafening boom and blinding light filled the cave as a 15m tall Titan appeared before them, his torso was vast, completely disproportional for his arms. Its face was the very picture of anger and rage. It let out a roar as Frieda bit down on her hand.

She tried to fight the Titan, but she was young and inexperienced, and his titan was larger and stronger. After a quick but brutal fight, the man bit down on Frieda's nape, ending his oldest daughter's life in a single instant. Not satisfied with her murder, the man then turned to the surviving members of the Reiss family, and with his fists and feet, he slaughtered them all.

And he, their husband and father, the man who should have protected them, ran like a coward.

He ran for his life, not once looking back until he had left the cave and then the chapel, he only stopped running when he reached the woods just in time to see the Titan burst from underneath the chapel destroying it with as much ease as he had to Rod's family.

He was glad he'd left his MP guards behind at his home, it wouldn't do for them to see the true King of the walls crying and sobbing into his hands. He pulled out a small cloth to dry his face and tried to pull himself together, he had a meeting with 'King' Fritz later, and it wouldn't do for him to look so unpresentable.

Suddenly Rod felt a gust of cold air brush against the back of his neck. He turned around to see one of the chapel doors slightly ajar. He furrowed his brow, he was sure he had closed the door when he entered, and it wasn't windy enough for the door to be blown open. Rising to his feet, Rod slowly walked toward the open door, his footsteps echoing in the empty church.

As he reached the entrance, he quickly peaked out, looking into the sky. It had been early morning when he arrived, and from the position of the sun, he must have been here for at least a few hours. He pushed the door shut, knowing he would have to leave soon a king's duty never ends, even a secret one.

Taking a step back, he started to turn to retake his seat on the front pew. But out of the corner of his eye, he saw something, a flash of silver being swung toward him. He tried to move out the way, but Rod was no soldier, his reactions were nowhere near fast enough. As the thing impacted against his head, he felt the briefest explosion of pain before he lost consciousness and slumped onto the floor.

Rod Reiss never saw the two cloaked figures standing behind him, one holding a knife and the other a now slightly bent silver candlestick.

* * *

Groggily, Rod started to regain consciousness, and he tried to open his eyes abut all he could see was darkness. He tried to reach up to his face to investigate his lack of sight but found his arms had been tied down to something.

A sense of panic and dread rose within him, Rod jerks his arms trying to break his bonds, but he had no luck, they were firmly secured.

"Ah Mr Reiss, you're awake. Good, I was worried I might have hit you too hard." A voice rung out, stopping his struggling.

"I have to admit Mr Reiss; I didn't expect to see you here. But I'm glad you are here, it will make everything so much easier."

"W…who are you? What do you want from me? Is it money? I'm sure we could come to an agreement"

"Mr Reiss, if I wanted you to know who I was, I wouldn't have blindfolded you. As for what I want well, I'm after something far more valuable than money. I want information." This time the voice came from his left only inches away from his ear. Whoever was holding him hostage was walking around him, trying to disorientate and intimidate him. It was working.

"I am going to ask you some questions, Mr Reiss, and you will answer them truthfully, understand?"

Knowing that without his guards there wasn't much Rod could do, he nodded deciding it was safer to do as the person said.

"Excellent, now let's start with an easy one, shall we? Where is the King?"

"The King? He's in the royal palace in Mitras. Why do" before Rod could finish, he was punched so hard across the face both he and the chair he was tied to fell over with a crash. Moaning and spitting out blood Rod barely heard the voice over the throbbing pain in his face.

"Tut, tut. I told you to tell me the truth, Mr Reiss. My good friend here doesn't like being lied to, they've never had any patience for liars. But don't worry, I won't bother asking again, after all, I know exactly where the King is. He's currently blindfolded and tied to a chair. Isn't he, your Grace?"

Rod's head was now reeling both in pain and shock, 'How?! How could they know about that? Do they work for the outsider? Are they here to finally finish me off?'

"You see Mr Reiss; I'll know when you're lying to me because I already know the truth: I know about the true royal family, I know what you do in that crystal cave of yours, and I know what's inside the walls."

"Now, let's try this again." Rod was suddenly pulled off the floor as the chair was uprighted, "I want to know where you keep the Titan spinal fluid, and how do you create it?"

"W... what are you talking about? I'm not the king!"

An exaggerated sigh was the only warning Rod got before a fist slammed into his stomach, once, then twice and then a final punch to the face breaking his nose with a sickening crack.

The force of the impacts caused Rod to throw up, a putrid combination of bile and blood now covering his shirt, he gasped, trying to force oxygen into his winded body in between pained coughs. But before he could do or say anything else a new sensation cut through the haze of pain; he felt something cold, hard and sharp resting just beyond the knuckle of his right little finger.

"Don't make me repeat myself, Mr Reiss, now answer the question."

Through a mouthful of blood, Rod spat out "You're insane. You're a monster."

"Not yet, Mr Reiss. Now, last chance to give me an answer."

Rod grit his teeth, he was not a brave man, not even close, but he couldn't fail his family's legacy, not again. He could endure some pain right…. Right?

"So be it."

There was a second of stillness as the knife slammed down on his little finger, severing skin, muscle and bone as if it were paper. It was almost an out of body experience as Rod felt his little finger being cut off and blood began pouring out the gory stump. The stillness ended abruptly as the agonising pain forced his consciousness back into his body.

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" his tortured screams shattered the silence of the chapel. 

* * *

Sometime later

Armin and Mikasa walked out of the chapel, small bag in hand, filled with several injections of Titan Spinal Fluid. Armin's theory that the Reiss's must have been producing the fluid for a long time had been correct; they had found nearly a dozen injections stored within the crystal caves. They now had enough Fluid for all the shifters on the island and then enough for the next generation of shifters if they were still needed.

Armin felt detached and emotionless as he walked toward the clearing where they had left their horse, he wondered if this is what Hanji and Levi had felt like after they tortured that MP, listening to it had been incredibly difficult at the time, it made him feel sick to his stomach, yet now after he had actually tortured someone, he just felt empty.

Armin truthfully hadn't expected to find Rod in the chapel, he thought the chapel would be empty, and they would have to search blindly through the caves. They were 'fortunate' to find him, the information they have acquired from him had saved them a great deal of time, and they had learnt how the royal family harvested the spinal fluid over the generations.

He looked over at Mikasa, seeing how she felt. To most people she looked to be as stoic as ever, no hint of what they had done showed on her face. But Armin had known her for years, and he could see the slight clench of her jaw and the tension in her steps. She was clearly uncomfortable with Armin's choice, his decision on what to do with Reiss after they got what they wanted. She understood, of course, it was a necessary evil, but that didn't mean she had to be happy with it.

"Come on, we've made good time, but we need to get back before anyone notices we're gone."

He nodded in agreement, his mind already planning out how they would deal with the traitors. Annie would be the 'easiest' to deal with, her self-imposed distance from Reiner and Bertholdt and the other 104th cadets would give them more opportunities to get her alone and take her out.

They had one year and five months before the shifters attacked Trost. While that may sound like plenty of time, Armin knew they would be working on a tight schedule. Their plans would have to be perfect, covering every potential outcome and preventing any consequences. A single mistake, a single slipup, and the traitors would know their cover had been blown, and Paradise would be doomed.

So, Armin did what he did best.

He planned.


	5. First Goodbyes

Notes: This is where things get interesting...

* * *

Ever since their successful mission to the Reiss Chapel Armin's mind had been working overtime, he had envisioned countless plans of how to deal with Annie. He had considered trying to lure her into a trap, ambushing her during a prolonged survival training exercise or trying to befriend her and waiting till she let her guard down.

Each had their own advantages and disadvantages. At present Armin believed their best chance of success was with the survival training 'accident', cadets had died before during such exercises either from exposure, wild animals or by falling off mountains or into canyons.

The issue would be the body or lack thereof. In all of the training accidents, bodies had been discovered; blooded, gnawed at, frozen or mangled and broken, there was always something to be found. That wouldn't be the case for Annie; a Titan rarely left any recognisable remains and, perhaps ironically, a lack of remains could raise more suspicion than an actual body.

He had been sitting in the mess hall, trying to solve that dilemma when Mikasa sat beside him, her eyes flicking over towards Eren and Jean as they started another heated argument over some inane topic.

"We need to talk, I have a plan." she murmured to him, making sure they weren't overheard in the busy mess hall. Armin quirked an eyebrow, Mikasa wasn't usually one to come up with plans, trusting in Armin to lead her right, but when she did, she showed she was just as capable of making plans as she is at following them.

With a nod he suggested they leave the mess hall and find somewhere quiet.

A few moments later they found themselves behind one of the outer storage huts, not the most private place but with most of the cadets currently stuffing their faces with breakfast they shouldn't be disturbed.

"Alright Mikasa, what's your plan?"

"Annie is going to sneak out of here tomorrow night to do some spying in the underground city. She's searching for information about the King."

"How do you know that?" Armin replied, surprise evident in his voice.

Mikasa suddenly looked strangely bashful, "I heard her leave the dorms last night, so I followed her. I found the three traitors talking about it in the woods, Reiner told her it was too dangerous, but she just told him she could handle herself."

"YOU DID WHAT?!" Armin nearly shouted, "Mikasa, are you crazy, do you know how dangerous that was? If they had found you, they would have killed you!"

"Calm down Armin. I was very careful."

"That's not the point Mikasa! This is dangerous; we can't just rush into this."

"Armin, this is an excellent opportunity. When are we going to get this kind of chance again? No one would find out."

Armin contemplates this, Mikasa is right, this is an excellent opportunity, but he's not happy with the timescale, they only had two days to get everything ready. It would be doable, but it would be tight.

"We'll need protection," Armin replies slowly "we can't risk something going wrong". They would have to keep Annie from transforming if they caught her, cutting off her limbs would achieve that.

Armin had prepared something that could knock Annie out, Hanji had created it after they retook Shiganshina in case Marley sent any more shifters. A potent, fast-acting sedative, made by mixing nearly a dozen commonly found herbs that could disable a shifter within seconds (Armin, being one of her two test subjects, could vouch for its effectiveness).

Mikasa gave a hum of approval, happy that Armin agreed to her plan.

Armin bit his lower lip, brows furrowed in concentration, considering the possible outcomes "Yes, this can work.".

"Alright. Let's do it." A note of determination filled his voice

And with that, Annie's fate is decided.

* * *

It's a cold, stormy night as Annie Leonhart trekked through the woods towards wall Sina. There's no moon tonight, hidden entirely by the dark grey storm clouds above.

Annie is not in a good mood. She doesn't want to be on this God-forsaken island, surrounded by the very people she had been taught to hate since birth. She didn't want to be wandering around in the dark, searching for some hidden monarch in the hope they know about the founding titan. She didn't want any of this; all she wanted was to go home. To fulfil her promise and to see her father again.

She had spent three years on this island now, and they were no closer to finding the founding titan than when they arrived. All they had done is broken wall Maria and killed thousands of these Island Devils… no, not devils, people. They had killed thousands of people.

She couldn't suppress the shame and disgust that burnt within her. These people had no idea about the outside world; they honestly believed they were the last of humanity. They couldn't understand why they had been attacked and they never would. Their orders had been clear if they couldn't find the founding titan, they were to destroy all three walls and let the regular titans finish off the survivors.

As she stepped over tree roots, she thought about her co-conspirators; it was clear that this mission was taking a severe toll on Reiner mental state. He seemed to drift between the warrior, sent to this island to destroy it, and a soldier who wants to fight for it.

Bertholdt was little better; he seemed to spend all his energy keep Reiner from blowing their cover and trying to distance himself from what they had done. Annie had accepted what she had helped do. She had accepted her crimes, she didn't pretend to be innocent like they did. She could never understand why Marley had given their strongest Titan to, who she considered to be, the weakest of the successful warrior candidates.

Without realising, she had wandered into a clearing, she had been walking for a while now and knew from experience it would likely be another hour until she reached wall Sina. Deciding to stop for a minute, Annie fished out her water canteen from her bag and gulped it down.

Suddenly a shiver went up her spine, something was wrong. She quickly leapt up, eye darting back and forth along the tree line, still not sure what had disturbed her.

She pulled a small knife out of her pocket, ready to slice her palm at a moment's notice, the feeling of wrongness was still there. She was being watched, she was sure of it, she looked deeper into the woods making out two unblinking yellow eyes staring straight at her.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she moved the knife to rest on her palm, as the bushes were pushed aside as whatever it was moved towards her. She was a split second away from cutting her palm when a flash of lightning lit up the night sky, in the sudden illumination of the clearing she could finally see what was watching her.

It was a deer.

Annie wanted to smack herself. She had nearly revealed herself all because she got spooked by some dumb animal. Letting out a shaky laugh, she shook her head, placing the blade back in her pocket, lambasting herself for being so stupid.

Then unexpectedly, something small and hard impacted against her neck, her hand flew up grabbing at whatever it was and pulling it out. She looked down at it in disbelief, it was a dart and it was leaking some fluid from the tip.

A wave of nausea hit her, she tried to reach for her knife realising she was under attack, but her arms felt like lead. Her legs gave up underneath her, and she collapsed, smacking her head hard against the ground.

* * *

_"Get up Annie, you won't become a warrior if you don't train hard. Now wake up, we have training."_

Hearing her father's voice Annie's eyes shot open, her heart pounding. She had been propped up against a tree, a haze of steam had surrounded her, pouring from her four newly amputated limbs. She stared in disbelief at the stumps, the sense of dread was almost overwhelming. Someone, somehow, had discovered the truth about her.

"Hello, Annie." Armin Arlert stood before her, his face completely devoid of emotion as he looked down upon her. A bolt of lightning lit up the night sky behind him, making him look more like a towering giant than the 5'3" cadet that he was. In that singular moment Annie had never feared a person more in her life.

"I wanted to talk to you, face to face. I never got the chance before."

"Before?! What is he talking about? How the hell did he find out about me?"

"I don't blame you, Annie. I don't blame you for what you helped do to Shiganshina and Wall Maria. I don't hate you for what you did to Levi Squad or Stohess. I still don't think you're a bad person."

"I know what Marley told you. They told you we were devils, guilty of crimes committed centuries ago. They promised you and your family would be absolved of your 'crimes' and could become honourary Marleyans if you became one of their 'warriors'."

Annie's head was reeling, she had no idea how Armin knew any of this, even if he had discovered her titan abilities, how could he know about Marley and the warrior program? It was impossible.

And what was he talking about with Stohess and Levi Squad? She had, of course, heard about Captain Levi through stories and cadet gossip; 'humanity's strongest soldier', a legendary figure in the survey corps, rumoured to have personally killed hundreds of titans. She had never met the man, yet Armin had accused her of doing something to his squad.

"I want you to know Annie, that this isn't personal. In another world, maybe things could have been different, maybe you could have fought alongside us, but this world is cruel, and we must be too if we are going to survive. Goodbye, Annie." The blond boy finished quietly before he turned and walked away from her gradually healing body.

Coming back to her senses, Annie called out after him, trying to keep him talking, buying her time until she had healed and could transform. But Armin ignored her, giving no reaction that he had even heard her speak.

Annie looked down at her limbs, they were healing rapidly, only another minute or two and she could transform. She would have to act fast; she would have to kill Armin, then make her way back to Reiner and Bertholdt and tell them they were compromised.

Her desperate planning was interrupted by a movement to her left. Her heart dropped as Mikasa Ackerman stepped into view. She had rarely spoken to the half Asian girl, the two of them had never gotten along and were even considered rivals by other cadets due to their hand to hand combat prowess. Mikasa silently stared at her, just like Armin her face was completely emotionless.

She said nothing as she pulled out a large syringe filled with a familiar blueish fluid and pressed the needle into her arm, thumb on the plunger. Annie's eyes nearly bulged out of her head; they weren't just going to kill her, they were going to take her power.

"Wait!" she cried out, composure starting to break, "Please don't, I don't know what you've been told, but if you use that you'll die. The curse…"

"I know." Mikasa interrupted coldly as she pushed down the plunger.

A yellow lightning bolt smashed into the clearing, as Mikasa body was broken apart and forcefully transformed. Where the half Asian girl had once been standing, now a 12m titan stood in her place; its arms were short and skinny, and its torso was elongated and narrow, it looked like a nightmarish stick figure. Its face was broad and stretched, its mouth open in a goofy grin with saliva dribbling down its pointed chin.

The titan reached down to where the helpless Annie sat, large hands gripping the terrified girl tightly, cracking ribs as it lifted her towards its open maw. Through the pain and fear Annie screamed "NO, NOOO!" as Annie was placed in the titan's mouth, "PLEASE FATHER, SAVE MEEEEE!" were Annie Leonhart last words before the titan's teeth came crashing down onto her.

Armin watched, silently, as Mikasa tore Annie apart, feasting on the body. He had wanted to look away, to block out Annie's screams for mercy, but he didn't. He had signed Annie's death warrant, so he forced himself to watch the consequences of his actions. He owed her that much at least.

As the titan consumed the last remnants of the body, it turned and look towards Armin, naturally seeking the next human to feast upon. Armin instinctively took a step back, the primal fight or flight response kicking in as he prepared to flee. Fortunately, before the titan could move towards him, it collapsed, slamming into the ground with a deafening crash.

He ran towards the steaming body, clambering up to reach the nape seeing Mikasa's human body still half-submerged in the titan's flesh. He plunged his arms into the steaming meat, wrapping them around his friend and pulled her out of the fleshly prison.

Mikasa was only semi-conscious when she was pulled out, the shifter marks under her eyes were long and red, reaching down to her checks. They fell to the ground as the titan body dissolved beneath them. She vaguely felt his arms around her and leaned further into his comforting embrace as her head lolled around. Eventually, she focused on his face, seeing his look of relief and the tears falling from his eyes.

"Armin" she whispered, "please… please don't leave me."

Armin knew she wasn't just talking about here and now, "I'll never abandon you." He choked out. "We'll do this together, I promise."

"Thank you, Armin." She slurred out, a single tear slipping down her face before she finally passed out.


	6. Misassumptions

AN: Bit of a lighter chapter this one, as I wanted to explore Eren's reaction to AMs change (he obvs doesn't know the truth yet). Enjoy.

* * *

It's well after midnight when Armin finally sees the camp's outer fence. Exhaustion had set in a while back, his legs shaking like blades of grass in the wind. He had to carry the unconscious Mikasa the whole way back from that clearing.

Just like Eren and himself after their initial transformations, she had passed out, and nothing seemed to wake her. Eren had told him that he had been unconscious for several hours after eating Bertholdt and Eren was out of it for nearly a day after the battle of Trost.

Armin knew there would be chaos when Annie was reported missing, and if anyone noticed and reported their absence during the night, they would be in serious trouble. They had to get back as soon as possible to avoid any suspicion.

Unfortunately, being the only conscious member of the pair, it fell to him to get them back.

Armin didn't want to call Mikasa 'heavy' (he knew that calling any girl that was a surefire way to meet a very messy, very painful end and he did actually value his life, thank you very much), but in his 13-year-old body Armin simply didn't have the strength to easily carry someone on his back for hours.

With a huff of relief, he forced his legs to move, covering the distance between the edge of the woods and the fence with painful slowness. "Come on," he thought to himself "Only a few more minutes. We're nearly there."

Several tiring minutes later he finally reaches the barracks, only to realise he had another problem. Mikasa was still unconscious; her slow breathing and body heat were her only signs of life for the last few hours. He couldn't just leave her outside, and he couldn't bring her to the boy's dorm in case Shadis saw her in the morning, leaving only one option left to him.

Armin would have to sneak into the girl's dorm…

With an unconscious person on his back…

Without being seen or heard…

And get Mikasa in her bed.

He let out a long-suffering sigh, "The boys would never let me live this down if they found out." He thought; half resigned, and half-amused, "Or they would demand I tell them everything."

Shaking his head, he started to move towards the girl's dorm. 

* * *

There are many words that can be used to describe Eren Yeager; Angry, determined, headstrong or, as Jean would say, suicidal. But one people didn't use to describe Eren would be observant; in fact, the boy sometimes had a supernatural ability to miss the obvious.

It had been a long day of training as Eren wearily made his way, food tray in hand, to a table. Slumping down on his seat, he began to dig into his bland, tasteless dinner. The two years he had lived as an orphaned refugee had taught Eren never to waste food and to treat every meal as if it were the only thing he might get that day.

True to form, Eren had managed to consume half his dinner before noticing that Mikasa and Armin hadn't joined him. Confused, he looked around the canteen wondering if they had sat elsewhere or been caught behind Sasha in the queue (it was well known amongst the 104th cadets that getting stuck behind Potato girl at dinner was a rookie mistake. She would try every trick in the book, from begging to bartering, trying to scrounge more food from the kitchen staff).

As if his confusion had summoned them, his missing friends suddenly walked in the mess hall quietly chatting to one another. Catching Armin's eye, the blond smiled and gave Eren a small wave before they joined the dinner queue. Satisfied with his friends' whereabouts, he went back to eating, bringing a spoonful of broth to his mouth.

"Do you think they're dating?" Eren looked over to the neighbouring table where Mina, Thomas and Hannah where sitting.

"Those two? Nah. What makes you think they are?"

"Well they always seem to be together, and Sasha swears she saw the two of them sneak behind one of the storage huts." Mina said.

Eren quickly lost interest, annoyance building within him. They were here to be soldiers and learn how to kill titans, not to gossip about crushes and who fancied who. It irritated him enough when he heard it in the boy dorms, the same stupid conversation over and over again; "Who's do you think is the hottest?", "Who's got the best arse?" or another round of 'Kiss, Marry, Avoid'.

"Pfft, I doubt it, the only thing Sasha ever pays attention to is food." Thomas was interrupted as Mina smacked him over the head. Rubbing the back of his head before continuing "Ow Mina, that hurt. Anyway, isn't she kinda obsessed with Yeager?" Despite his previous thoughts on the matter, Eren couldn't stop himself from listening in.

"Not anymore, I think she realised it was unrequited. Poor girl." Replied Hannah, the resident expert on romance, thanks to her ongoing relationship with Franz.

Before Eren could demand they tell him who they were talking about Mikasa and Armin sat down next to him. Armin apologised for being late, informing him that Shadis had wanted to speak to them.

Eren felt a brief flicker of jealousy pass through him; both Mikasa and Armin seemed to be excelling with their training, quickly distinguishing themselves from the other cadets with both their 3DM and weapon skills. Eren had been improving, but nowhere near as quickly as they had. It made him feel inadequate, knowing he was the least skilled of the trio; he needed to get better and stronger if he was going to protect them and kill all the titans.

The moment soon passed, and he returned to what he had overheard Thomas says. "Who would be obsessed over me? Did one of the girls liked me?" the questions ran through his mind. He couldn't think of who they could've been talking about, "I talk to Armin about it, he'll know.".

He turned to speak to them when he was abruptly interrupted.

"Good job fighting Annie today, Yeager. Maybe one day you might win!" Jean Kirstein jeered from across the hall.

"Why don't you come over here and say that, Horseface!"

And like that Eren had wholly forgotten his plan to speak to Armin. 

* * *

Eren knew he had probably had too much to drink, but Horseface had challenged him and Eren would rather headbutt a titan than let a challenge from Jean go unanswered. Even something as small as a drinking game, he wouldn't concede to him.

He swayed in the busy Trost pub, he had beaten Jean (who had passed out onto Marco) and was celebrating his victory with another drink. His whole body lurched forward as an arm wrapped around his shoulders, "That was some fine drinking there Eren, put Jeanie boy back in his place!" a drunk, red-cheeked Reiner chuckled beside him, drink in hand. "Say, where's Armin and Mikasa?"

Eren jovial mood disappeared, "They didn't come, they said they already had plans." He sneered at the last word, he was still annoyed at his friends, one of the few times they get the chance to leave bootcamp, and they refused to go.

But this only made Reiner laugh some more, "Haha, yeah, I bet those two had 'plans'."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Grinning, Reiner replied, "Come on, Eren, you don't have to cover for them with me. I can see what's going on."

"Reiner, what the hell are you on about? Covering for what?" Eren stared at the 'blond behemoth' as Connie had once nicked named him, thoroughly confused.

Reiner's grin slowly died and disappeared of his face "Wait, you don't know? Oh…"

Eren's patience finally ran out, "Stop being an idiot Reiner, what don't I know?!"

Throwing his hands up in surrender, Reiner calmly says "Woah man, calm down. I'm just asking if Armin and Mikasa are… together ya know, like if they're dating?"

Eren's mouth dropped, staring at Reiner in shock. Of all the things Reiner could have said that was perhaps the most unexpected, Eren probably would have been less shocked if Reiner had told him he was half titan or something.

"I... What? Why would you think that? They're not dating, or they would…" Eren's words died in his throat. What would dating people do? He thought about Hannah and Franz, the only confirmed couple in the 104th, and how they acted.

They were constantly together; during training, meals and free time. If you saw one, the other wasn't far behind. Just like Armin and Mikasa.

They worked well together, trusting each other and coming to the aid of the other when needed. Just like Armin and Mikasa.

And they often sneaked off, leaving the other cadets behind without telling anyone. Just like Armin and Mikasa.

The more he thought about it, the more it explained their recent strange behaviour. Was it possible? Had they started dating without even telling him? Eren refused to believe that, surely, they would tell him if they were.

But he couldn't stop that little voice in his heading telling him that it made sense; it explained why they seemed so much closer than they had been a few months ago and why they were often late for meals.

No, they were just close friends, and Reiner was being stupid.

In a rare showing of self-control, Eren decided that he wouldn't immediately confront his friends when he returned from Trost over Reiner's words. But he certainly would be watching them closely from now on, and he would discover the truth. 

* * *

True to his word, Eren watched his friends closely. They didn't seem to show any obvious signs of affection, like Hannah and Franz did.

There were no longing stares or excessive physical contact. But there was something, Eren couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it was there, some deeper connection that he didn't understand. He watched them during training, and whenever they were paired together, they seemed to know exactly what the other was planning. Even when Shadis was in an exceptionally bad mood (not that he was ever in a good mood), he could find no reason to criticise their performance.

This only fuelled Eren suspicions, they were clearly closer than he had expected and in his mind that pointing towards one thing… that maybe Reiner was right.

Eren had just finished his argument with Jean when he noticed that Armin and Mikasa had left the mess hall. He narrowed his eyes in irritation; they must have waited until he was distracted by Horseface to leave. He had previously decided to follow them next time they disappeared and maybe find out once and for all what was going on between his two friends.

Sasha had already helped herself to the remains of his meal while he was arguing. Seeing no reason to stick around Eren also stalked out of the mess hall.

As quickly and quietly as possible Eren sneaked from outbuilding to outbuilding trying to find his missing friends. He wasn't trying to spy on them, he told himself but was merely making sure they were alright without them noticing his presence, he was doing what any good friend should.

Yeah, he totally wasn't spying…

He was about to give up when he suddenly heard a familiar voice behind one of the storage huts.

"YOU DID WHAT!" Armin's near shout finally revealed their location to Eren.

Eren, unfortunately, missed what Armin followed up with as he crouched down on the other side of the hut, listening in.

"Calm down Armin, I was very careful." He heard his adopted sister whisper, curious about what had caused Armin to shout.

"That's not the point Mikasa! This is dangerous; we can't just rush into this." His blood went cold. What was going on? Were his friends in danger? Was someone threatening them? He was about to march round and demand answers when Mikasa replied.

"Armin, this is an excellent opportunity. When are we going to get this kind of chance again? No one would find out."

Confusion and concern warred within him. He knew Mikasa would never put Armin or him in danger; she used to mother them constantly when training started, so the idea that she would be seemingly encouraging something dangerous to Armin was a foreign one to him.

Armin was quiet for a few moments. Eren didn't need to see his friend to know he was thinking about whatever Mikasa had asked him. Eventually, Armin does reply.

"We'll need protection. We can't risk something going wrong."

Oh

**Oh**

An uncontrollable blush creeps up his face, as he realised what he's uncovered. As the son of a doctor and having recent sat through the standard military sex education lesson, (which consisted of a camp nurse explaining the bare-basics of reproduction, the different diseases you can catch and how to prevent pregnancy and said diseases, and was finished off by Shadis threatening to personally neuter anyone who even thinks about doing it) he could gather what sort of 'protection' they were talking about.

He had no idea what the hell to do, his brain not quite able to bridge the gap between what he's just overheard and everything he thinks he knows about Armin and Mikasa. But when Mikasa replied with a hum of approval, his body took control from his overworked brain, and he fled, hoping they didn't hear his rapid retreat. 

* * *

After his discovery, Eren does everything in his power to avoid the pair without raising suspicions. An almost overwhelming sense of awkwardness fills him whenever he's with the two, he knows he should say something but has no idea what. "Oh, hey Armin/Mikasa, I was casually spying on you and overheard you planning to have sex with my adoptive sister/best friend. Wanna talk about that?" Yeah right.

Despite trying to avoid them, he can't help but keep an eye on them. He had no idea what he would do if he saw them sneak off; would he just let it happen or try and stop them. He's not opposed to them being together, he wants them to be happy, but the idea of them doing that bothers him.

To his immense relief, the two of them spend the rest of that day and all of the next, training like normal. They give no indication they are planning to sneak off, as they talk and exercise with the other cadets. Perhaps this 'opportunity' Mikasa spoke about isn't as soon as he feared. Good, that might give him time to work out what he's going to say to them.

Eren heads to bed that night tired, but relieved. During dinner, he had come up with the barebones of what he wants to tell them. He would tell them that he supports their relationship and that he was happy for them, but if either of them hurts the other, he will make the perpetrator wish the titans got them. Then he would follow it up with a group hug and then immediately begin teasing them as any good friend/brother should. He closes his eyes, content, and slowly drifts off to sleep.

He's not sure what exactly rouses him in the night, it's pitch black and mostly silent, yet something still disturbed his sleep. Drowsily, he looks around the dorm. He can see Bertholdt going through the motions of his bizarre sleep dance, arms and legs contorted in ways that didn't look natural or remotely comfortable.

Reiner and Connie are both snoring away, while Horseface mumbles nonsense in his sleep. Just a typical night in the dorms, so what the hell woke him up? He looks over to Armin's bed, and Eren is suddenly wide awake.

It's empty.

His mouth goes dry, "Maybe he's gone to the toilet? Yeah, that makes sense. He'll be back soon." So Eren waits.

And waits.

And waits.

Eren has been awake for hours when Armin finally returns. Even though the darkness Eren can see Armin looks completely exhausted, he walks as if he just ran hundreds of laps, dragging his feet along the wooden floor and ungracefully falls onto his bed with a 'thump'. Armin is asleep within seconds of his head touching the pillow, his soft snoring joining Reiner's and Connie's.

Eren spends the rest of the night staring at the wall, wishing for the dark void of the night to take him.

When his sister joins them at breakfast in the morning looking just as tired as Armin did, he wished that the ground would swallow him whole and end his suffering.


	7. Late Arrivals

One of the most apparent side effects of being cold and pushing others away is that eventually, people stop noticing or caring when you don't show up to things. Had Annie Leonhart been alive, perhaps she could have appreciated the irony of her actions, by pushing people away, she made her own 'disappearance' so much easier.

Very few people noticed she wasn't at breakfast that morning, fewer cared.

Only a few more noticed she wasn't present for hand to hand training that morning, but most assumed she was just skiving off.

It was only after lunch when Annie didn't attend 3DM training that the other cadets started to wonder where she was, but still, most were not bothered. Eventually, however, Shadis grew frustrated at her absenteeism and demanded to know her whereabouts.

When no one answered, he believed that someone must be covering for her and decided that group punishment would loosen some tongues. So, the 104th found themselves running laps until 'Someone tells me where the hell Leonhart is!'.

As the laps rolled pass with no forthcoming answers, Shadis demanded to know when the cadets last saw her. When the group consensus was dinner last night, the angry instructor turns on the female cadets, asking when Annie left the barracks that morning.

When an angry Ymir spits out "the bitch's bed was empty this morning, sir." it finally clicks for Shadis that this may not be some truanting cadet and orders the 104th to stop running and to stand at attention while he checks on the barracks.

Five minutes later, he returns and divides the cadets into groups of 3 telling them to search the camp from top to bottom.

Forty-five minutes later, there is no sign of Annie Leonhart anywhere within the camp. Rumours and theories are spreading throughout the trainees; everything from kidnapping to desertion was suggested.

Sixty minutes later, Keith orders the cadets to begin searching the surrounding forest, threatening to make Annie, and anyone who may be covering for her, clean the latrines with their tongues when she's found.

Two hundred seventy minutes later, Annie Leonhart disappearance is reported to the MPs.

With the usual arrogance of the MPs, when they finally arrived, they immediately order the cadets to stop searching, claiming they were not trained for this sort of thing and would only get in the way. Then they decided to spend several hours researching the entire camp and immediate surrounding forest believing the cadets may have somehow missed their comrade.

All in all, in the 6 hours since the search first started, all they had to go on was an empty bed and Annie's unworn uniform.

The sun was starting to set when the cadets were once again ordered to gather on the training field and stand at attention. MPs walked through the ranks demanding to know when each cadet last saw Annie and their whereabouts since that sighting.

It was an overweight, balding MP that stopped in front of the Shiganshina Trio, "You," he spoke at Mikasa, "when was the last time you saw cadet Leonhart?"

With a salute, Mikasa simply replied, "She was in her bed when I reached the barracks last night, sir."

"Did you see her leave the barracks at any point last night?" the MP droned back, sounding completely uninterested of the whole situation.

"No Sir, she was gone when I woke up this morning."

The MP looked around as if searching for something interesting to beat his boredom, "Did you leave the barracks at any point last night?"

It was fortunate that the MP wasn't paying attention to the trio or else he might have noticed Eren stiffen slightly at that question before Mikasa replied "No sir."

Over the next hour and a half, every cadet is questioned before finally being dismissed for a now very late dinner.

In the end in standard MP laziness they only stick around for two more days, and with no evidence or leads to follow they officially registered Annie as away without leave and a deserter.

* * *

Three Months Later

The next three months are increasingly stressful for Armin and Mikasa. They have to keep an eye on the two remaining traitors, keep Mikasa's newly acquired abilities hidden and plan their next move. They had agreed to lay low after dealing with Annie as if they assassinated another of the traitors too soon the survivor would likely panic and flee or rush to complete their mission.

Unfortunately for them, they had almost become victims of their own success. Practically all the other cadets believed Annie had deserted and most had already moved on, but not Reiner and Bertholdt. To their knowledge, Annie was killed in the undercity during her intel-gathering mission, and while this removed any possible suspicion from the Armin and Mikasa, it had the unwanted side effect of making the two traitors extra cautious.

Bert seemed to become even more nervous, constantly looking like he wasn't even comfortable in his own skin. He sweated more than ever and seemed to curl into himself both mentally and physically whenever he was separated from Reiner.

And Reiner? Well, he was confusing. Sometimes he was quiet and withdrawn, sticking close to Bert as if his life depended on it (which it did, not that he knew that) and other times he was 'normal', the 104th protective big brother, he joked with Connie, tried to flirt with Krista and offered help to anyone he thought might need it.

Armin had remembered that after retrieving Eren from their failed kidnapping, Eren had been debriefed and told everyone that Reiner seemed to be losing his mind, as he was acting like two different people. A split personality as one of Armin's books had called it.

It was strange, it seems so obvious now that something was wrong with Reiner compared to last time. Armin wasn't sure if it was because he knew what to look for or the Annie situation had further weakened his mental state.

But it wasn't just those two who had changed...

Occasionally, Armin would find Mikasa merely staring into the middle distance, oblivious to her surroundings. When he called her name, she would slowly look at him with an unreadable expression before suddenly realising where she was. The first few times this happened she'd waved off Armin's questions claiming tiredness, but eventually, she told him the truth.

"I keep seeing… things. Flashes of people I've never met and places I've never been to. It's like a dream but different." She grips at the scarf around her neck, a clear indication of her discomfort and confusion. "There's a man… he's talking to me, but I can never hear what he's trying to say."

And Annie's memories aren't the only thing Mikasa inherited; during hand to hand training, Armin noticed Mikasa starting to use some of Annie's moves. She started sweeping the legs of her opponent from underneath them rather than merely using her sheer strength to overpower them.

But what concerned Armin the most is that she wasn't consciously choosing to do so; it made him wonder just how much influence the previous shifter could exert on the current holder.

If holding one titan had been enough to influence both Mikasa and himself, it would explain why Eren had changed so much. Before they 'returned' he held three titans; the 'attack' titan, the founding titan and the Warhammer titan.

Three streams of memories in one mind, all influencing his beliefs and actions.

He wondered how much of Eren, the man who had once been his brother in all but blood, was truly left in the end.

* * *

Mikasa knew she was never the most approachable person, she hadn't been the first time in training and certainly not this time around. After everything she had been through, after everyone she had lost both before and after wall Maria fell, in her mind, only Eren and Armin were important. In her mind, they were only people she could trust and that anyone else would eventually be taken from her, like her parents and the Yeagers.

She believed she had no more room left in her heart to care for any others.

Slowly though, over the years, through battle after battle, that had changed. After training, Trost, joining the scouts, overthrowing the government, retaking wall Maria and Marley she realised that her circle of trust had expanded.

Jean, Sasha, Connie, Historia, Hanji and even that midget of a captain, Levi had all become important to her. People she would fight for, kill for, to protect.

But now they were all so different, practically strangers wearing her friend's faces;

Connie was a carefree comedian, continually joking and messing around. This wasn't the man who had lost his entire family, village and best friend in the crucible of war. This wasn't the man who would fight to his last breath to defend those he had left.

Jean was more egotistical; he only cared about joining the MPs, praising them and denigrating the scouts in ways that would have disgusted the proud scout she knew.

Sasha… Sasha was alive again but still spoke with that fake city accent, trying to hide her rural origins. When Historia left the scouts, Sasha had been the only other girl in the special operations squad, and as such, she had occasionally confided in Sasha things she hadn't even told Eren or Armin.

But this wasn't her Sasha; this wasn't the veteran scout she had fought alongside time and time again. This Sasha, like Jean, wanted to join the MPs, only so she could live a safe, food-filled life.

And finally, Historia.

"Come on Mikasa, we are making good time. We need to get to camp before sunset." The girl in question had stopped a few metres ahead and called to her.

Historia, or Krista Lenz as she still called herself, the illegitimate daughter to a secret king, who wanted nothing to do with her until it suited him, and a mother who hated her very existence. She had changed the most.

This 'Krista' persona she had was almost sickly sweet; always kind and considerate, selfless and caring, beautiful and skilled yet humble and polite. She was 'an angel come to Earth' as Mikasa had once overheard her being called. A made-up personality for a made-up person.

But deep down, Mikasa wondered if continuing to live that lie would be better for her than the fate that awaited her.

Many people might believe that becoming a Queen would be wonderful; all that wealth and power at their fingertips, but that was not the position Historia inherited. She was a figurehead, a powerless public face only there to provide stability and legitimacy to the military government.

Then she had practically been forced into becoming a broodmare on the orders of Zeke Yeager and the military to maintain the royal bloodline, with the ultimate end of her inheriting the beast titan to activate the loophole in the founding titan's power.

A puppet, then broodmare and finally a weapon. No one deserved that fate.

Mikasa sped up, falling into lockstep with the blond, "Sorry, I was distracted. It won't happen again."

"Oh, no problem. So… why do you think Shadis paired us up? Not that I don't want to be your partner, of course, it's just that normally you team up with Armin or Eren and I'm with Ymir."

"He wants to see how we perform when working with people we don't often work with or don't get along with."

Shadis had paired up all the cadets that morning, before sending them on a 25-mile hike through the forest, telling them if both cadets didn't make the finish by sundown then both of them would have to redo the exercise. Most pairings were like theirs, two cadets that rarely trained together, as a way to form new bonds. But some had been between cadets that didn't get along such as; Ymir and Reiner and Eren and Jean. Maybe Shadis believed it would bring them closer, or perhaps he just found it funny.

"Ah, that makes sense. I guess you can't only fight beside people you know." Krista says as they hike through the woods.

Mikasa hummed in agreement but didn't reply otherwise.

They continue to walk in silence for a while, with Krista trying to tempt Mikasa into a few more conversations, all of which are short and slightly awkward. It's during one of these attempts when Krista stops paying attention to her surroundings and trips over an exposed root.

Like a bullet from a rifle, Mikasa's hand shoots out, grabbing Krista's forearm to prevent her fall. But the second contact is made they both go completely rigid, every muscle in Mikasa's body locks solid as what feels like electricity crawls up her arm, to her head.

The forest disappears, leaving only a small wooden house and a man on his knees in front of her, his head is bowed, and his arms were on her shoulders. "Annie… I'm so sorry. I don't expect you to forgive me, but please, please just stand your ground, even if the whole world stands against you, even if every other creature alive comes to hate you, your father will always be on your side... So please. Promise me...that you'll come back!"

More memories follow; a yellow armband, then a red one. A training yard, and a bug being crushed beneath her feet.

Mikasa yanks her arm back, unwittingly allowing Krista to fall. It was him… the man she kept seeing, it was Annie's father. She had heard him.

"M…Mikasa?"

She looked down at Krista, who had rolled over and pushed herself up. She had a cut on her forehead from hitting the ground and was looking around in utter bewilderment.

"His… Krista, you're bleeding, are you okay?"

"What? Wait, Krista? What's going on? Where are we?" her bewildered expression changed to one of apprehension, and Mikasa watched as her hand drifted down to her midsection. The gesture was a protective one, a natural maternal instinct to defend an unborn child.

Such a movement would be reasonable for a pregnant woman to do in a stressful situation but seeing a 14-year-old cadet, in muddy combat overalls, sitting in the middle of a forest doing it was anything but ordinary.

Unless of course, said 14-year-old, wasn't, mentally, 14 anymore…

'No,' Mikasa thought in disbelief, 'it can't be.'

She didn't realise how dry her mouth had become until she tried to speak.

"H…Historia?" she croaked out.

Their eyes met, and time seemed to stop. The older, empty eyes the blond girl now had was enough to confirm Mikasa suspicions.

Somehow, just like herself and Armin, Historia had returned to the past.


	8. Change of fate

For the first time in Mikasa's life, she nearly failed a training exercise. She and Kris… Historia crossed the finish line with barely a minute to spare before sunset, Shadis gives her a strange look, as if he was both confused and almost personally insulted that she had nearly failed such a simple exercise.

His eyes flicked over to the bandages wrapped around Historia's forehead. "Lenz, what happened?" he growled out

"Nothing sir, I just tripped over a tree root."

"Well, with such outstanding observation skills, you might be the first soldier in history to not see the titan about to eat you. Congratulations Lenz, you truly are the generation to save us all." He 'joked' dryly.

"Well, you both passed… just. Fortunately for you, the teams that arrived before you have already set up the tents. Go find one, Dismissed."

She gave the bare minimum response of a salute and a "Sir" before she marched off. She instructed Historia to find a tent away from the others so they could speak privately, while she went looking for Armin. He needed to know what had happened.

She found him sitting by a small campfire with his marching partner Mina, along with Sasha, Connie and Marco. They were all chatting idly, as Sasha skinned, gutted and cooked a recently hunted rabbit for dinner.

Mikasa ignored all of this as she approached Armin, as much as she tried to start trusting the others again, Armin was the only person she felt fully comfortable around. He hadn't changed as all the others had; he was still the same Armin she remembered.

She still remembered when she first met him; she had only been living with the Yeager's for a few days when Eren told her about his blond friend.

"_You have to meet him, Mikasa, he's super smart, smarter than most adults! He's really friendly and has all these amazing books that have drawings of the outside world. Come on, I'll introduce you."_

_They had found him hunched over in an alley, his hair and clothes ruffled up. A book had been thrown some distance away which had several pages ripped out and discarded around the alley._

_A pained moan slipped between his gritted teeth as he clutched his bruised ribs._

"_ARMIN!" Eren had run toward him, dropping to his knees in front of the small blond. "Was it those arseholes again?! I'm going to find them and beat the crap out of them!" his body shook in barely contained fury._

"_N…no" the blond croaks out "They're not worth it Eren."_

"_Not worth it? They are bullies, Armin, scum. You shouldn't let them walk all over you, Armin. You need to fight back Armin. You can't win if you don't fight back!"_

_A small pained smile crept onto the blonds face, "I am winning Eren… I'm winning because I'm not running away." Eren had only sighed and shook his head and let the matter drop._

_Mikasa didn't understand at first, how could he not fight back? How was allowing yourself to be beaten up 'winning'? When Mikasa had first met Armin in that dirty back alley, she thought he was weak, cowardly and naïve._

_She had never been so wrong._

_Despite the countless times the bullies targeted Armin; all the times they would beat him, insult him or kicked him to the floor, he would never beg or plead for them to stop, he would never try to bribe them with money or food._

_And he never once ran away from them._

_It was several weeks after later when she first interacted with Armin without Eren being present. Carla had grounded him that morning for getting into another fight, and she had sent Mikasa out to get some ingredients from the market. As she made her way back from the stalls, she had found Armin, cornered by three bullies in a nearby alley. Both for Eren's sake and her own dislike of the bullies she fought them off before helping the blond boy up._

"_Thank you, Mikasa. They seemed to have been offended by my 'heretical' opinions again." He gave a forced laugh trying to make light of the situation._

"_Why don't you stand up for yourself, Armin? How is this winning?" she cut off his forced laughter with the question as she gestured towards his torn clothes and bruised face._

_He looked at her with an unreadable expression for a few moments. She felt as if she was being weighed and judged._

"_Not everyone can be strong like you and Eren, Mikasa. I doubt I will ever be that strong. But that doesn't mean I'm weak; I'm not going run away or change who I am just to appease some small-minded thugs."_

"_That's why I am winning because I won't live in fear of them."_

Whenever she looked back on it, she believed that was the moment when her opinion of Armin began to change. He might not be strong in a conventional manner, but he wasn't weak, and he certainly wasn't a coward.

After that day their friendship grew, he showed her his grandfathers banned books, with drawings of the outside world; Lands of ice, fields of sand and the vast salt-filled oceans. He spoke about how humanity couldn't stay behind these walls forever, that one day they would have to face the titans and reclaim what lay beyond. He told her of his and Eren's dream to one day escape the walls, to visit the ocean and to explore the world. He asked if she wanted to come with them when they finally left.

Before long Armin had become part of her 'family', that small group of people, who as long as they lived, Mikasa would keep fighting no matter the odds. He became the anchor in her life, someone she could always rely on, someone who was always there to pick her up again when Eren said or did something that upset her. Normally it would be a knowing look or a silent squeeze of her shoulder, a sign of solidarity and understanding, and once, just once, he had punched Eren across the face for her.

That memory brought back something else that had been playing in the depths of her mind ever since they 'returned'.

If what Eren told them was true, that she only cared for Eren because she 'imprinted' on him during that day, that meant that Armin was her first real friend. The first person she chose to trust and care for, not because of her blood, or her 'powers' but because she wanted to.

She pushed those thoughts away, now was not the time for her to contemplate her relationship with the blond genius, she had a far more pressing issue to deal with.

"Oh, hey Mikasa, you made it. I was beginning to worry…" the boy in question must have heard her approach and turned around.

"We need to talk. Privately." She didn't wait for him to answer as she grabbed his hand and practically dragged him away from the campfire. She pretended not to hear Sasha's giggles and Connie's suggestive remark and whistle as they left.

Armin was puzzled at Mikasa's unusual behaviour. She was never one to make any kind of scene in front of the other cadets. So, it was surprising when one minute he had been calmly sitting by a campfire and the next she had dragged him off with no explanation and then practically bundled him into one of the outermost tents.

He was about to ask just what the hell was going on when he noticed they weren't the only occupants in the tent.

"Krista?" he asked, still confused about what was happening.

The shorter blond sat upright on top of a sleeping bag, her hands were grasped together and were resting on her stomach, "Hello Armin." She spoke coolly and elegantly, so different from the happy and friendly tone she always had, and yet it was strangely familiar to Armin.

"What? I don't..."

"Armin." Mikasa interrupted softly, "She's just like us."

'_She's just like us? Well yeah she's a fellow cadet but what do you mean…'_ his mind started to race, could it be possible? They had returned, so someone else coming back wasn't unthinkable.

He looked at Mikasa, with the unspoken question clear in his eyes. She gave the smallest nod in response.

His head slowly turned to look at the illegitimate royal.

"It's nice to see you again, Armin. It has been a while."

"Historia" he breathed out her name as if fearing that merely saying the word would cause her to disappear. "How is this possible? When did this happen?"

"I don't know. I was hoping that you could explain. You were always the smart one. As for when, well I think Mikasa could explain that better."

They both turned towards the half Asian girl, who had sat down while they had talked.

"When we were walking through the forest Historia tripped over a tree root, I reached out and grabbed her before she could fall but when I touched her something happened. I froze up, and I had another 'vision', but this one was different. It felt more real than the other times… I heard him Armin, the man. It was her father." Her voice tapered out, a look of contemplation crosses her face as she recalled whatever it was Annie's father had said.

Armin was about to say she didn't have to continue if she didn't want to when Mikasa starting to talk again "When snapped out of it, I let her go by accident and she fell." She gestured towards Historia's head and the bandages wrapping it. "Sorry about that. I don't know how it happened, but whatever caused my 'vision' must have affected Historia as well."

Historia gave a small smile at Mikasa apology, before nodding in agreement with Mikasa's recollection.

"One minute, I was resting on my porch, Johan had asked me to come in as it was getting late. I was about to when I heard an explosion and saw smoke starting to rise only a mile or two downstream. Then I felt lightheaded and dizzy, I collapsed and the next thing I know I was in that forest."

"Then what happened?" Armin queried the two girls.

"After getting over the shock, Mikasa explained to me what the two of you had gotten up to while you've been 'back'. She told me about the plan you two have to deal with the three shifters. Well two now, I suppose."

"But I guess my return will change some of your plans, right Armin?" she asked pointedly.

"Actually, you were always part of the plan, well Krista was."

"You wish for me to become the Queen again." It was a statement, not a question.

Armin's eyes flickered towards Mikasa, they had spoken once about Historia's fate, both had been horrified by it but had viewed it as a necessary evil for the situation Paradise was in at the time.

They wouldn't allow that to happen again.

"No, we won't let that happen again if you don't want to."

Historia looked surprised by this, her wide eyes locked onto his. Clearly, she hadn't expected that.

"We can take down the government another way, but there is something that we need you for Historia. If we are going to have any chance of winning this war against Marley, we will need as many shifters as possible either on our side or at least not on Marley's. We already have Eren, and now Mikasa. Soon we will get the Armoured and Colossal, but there is still one more shifter on this island. One who is loyal only to you."

"Ymir" Historia whispered her name. "She's alive."

"You were the only one she seemed to care for Historia, and she only revealed her abilities when you were in danger. You don't need to become the Queen this time; we just need you to keep Ymir on our side."

Historia looked completely shaken, she must have already resigned herself to going through the same fate again; she could have never guessed this would be Armin's plan.

"I… I" she started before an argument from outside the tent interrupted her.

"Good job idiot, this is your fault. Now we have to do this all again."

"My fault?! How is this my fault?"

"You had the map dumbass."

"And you didn't listen to my directions! You just wandered off the wrong way!"

"Whatever moron, why don't you go find your lanky boyfriend and leave me alone."

The three of them left the tent in time to see Reiner storming away from Ymir, muttering something under his breath. Historia has frozen at the sight of Ymir as she stood there smirking at Reiner's retreating back.

She turned and smiled when she spotted Historia. "Krista, baby. There you are, I was wondering…" she wasn't able to finish the sentence before a blond cannonball slammed into her midsection.

Historia had wrapped her arms around Ymir and was holding on for dear life. Tears started to leak from her eyes as she buried her face into Ymir's chest.

"Krista! What wrong, what happened to your head?" Ymir's eyes locked onto Mikasa, blazing with anger. "What did you do to my Krista?!"

"Nothing, stupid." Historia voice was muffled by Ymir's body "Nothing's wrong, not anymore. I missed you, that's all, I missed you so much."

Ymir was obviously confused about what was happening, but she was never one to reject Historia's physical contact. She wrapped her arms around the crying blond completing the hug. "I missed you too, babe. Don't worry, next time Shadis tries to split us up, I'll tell him where he can shove his training exercise instead."

Armin couldn't help but smile, both at the scene before him and at how this would benefit the plan. He was happy for Historia, he knew she cared deeply for Ymir and if everything went as planned Ymir would stay by her side, and the two of them might be able to carve out some happiness in this cruel world.

He also knew that with Historia firmly on their side, that Ymir would be as well. The Jaws titan may be one of the smallest titans, but its ability to shatter titan crystals would be of great benefit to them.

With Ymir and Eren or Mikasa working together they could easily take down the Armoured Titan. Ymir could tear off chunks of its armoured plating, and the other shifter could target these exposed areas. With Ymir, they wouldn't need the thunder spears to deal with Reiner.

'_Yes,'_ his smile widened _'things are going just as planned.'_


	9. Chaos Theory Pt1

AN: So here is where stuff starts going wrong for our intrepid time-travellers...

After all, this is still AoT, so bad stuff has to happen.

* * *

Armin was panicking. There were no two ways about it, he felt like he was right on the very edge of a complete nervous breakdown.

Something had gone wrong; terribly, _terribly_ wrong. He didn't know how or why but they were In Trost.

They. Were. In. Trost.

They still had nearly eight months of training left before their graduation, eight more months before they were supposed to be here. Eight months to deal with Reiner and Bertholdt, but now something had changed that.

Shadis had woken them all up at the crack of dawn and loaded them into wagons. Apparently, they were 'Going to get some real-world experience as a member of the Garrison.' seeing as most cadets would end up in that division.

Armin had been dumbfounded; this hadn't happened the first time round. The only time the entire 104th cadet corps had visited Trost was the day after graduation. The day when everything had changed.

The 104th had been dispersed around Trost; some were on the walls checking and repairing the cannons and rails, some were with them in the armoury while others were simply on patrol around the district. To make the whole situation worse Mikasa, Eren and himself had been assigned to the armoury, uploading and loading crates. They were completely in the dark, and if Bertholdt and Reiner did attack, they wouldn't even have the chance, as small as it would be, to try and stop them.

The stress of this situation wasn't just affecting him. Even Mikasa's famous stoicism had been compromised, Armin could see her eyes occasionally darting toward the walls and the outer gate, flickering with worry each time. She was utterly ignoring Eren's complains about their role of moving crates, rather than fighting titans.

When she wasn't carrying anything, her hands were clenched into fists, a poor substitute for the sword hilts that should be in them. They lacked any weapons or 3DMG gear as the garrison commander had decided they wouldn't need any for their current role. Armin could understand the logic behind that, but it didn't make him feel any better. If there was an attack, valuable time would be lost in getting equipped.

Armin tried to calm himself; he told himself that they wouldn't attack today, they didn't have any time to prepare, unlike last time.

He told himself that Reiner and Bertholdt's assignment to the district patrols wouldn't give them the opportunity to slip away unnoticed, they were with several other cadets and garrison soldiers.

He told himself that without Annie there to support them in case something went wrong that they wouldn't risk it.

He wasn't even looking at the wall when the orange lightning struck behind the gate, the deafening crack silenced the entire district. Everyone, both military and civilian, had stopped what they were doing and looked towards the gate, wide-eyed and stunned.

Everyone it seemed, except Armin. He had looked down and closed his eyes, letting out a shaky breath, the sound seemed to carry across the entire courtyard. The feeling of resignation filled his body; he had been too cautious and focusing more on securing their powers rather than just killing them outright. He had tried to be clever and had failed.

And now hundreds were going to die.

The 60m tall Colossal titan loomed over the wall Rose, peering into the district with its dead, soulless eyes.

Its long orange arm crashed onto the top of the wall, sweeping it across smashing the cannons and rails to pieces.

That was when the screaming started.

Thousands of civilians started running for their lives, screaming as terror gripped the city. Church bells rang out, signalling the immediate evacuation of the district. But all was drowned out in the earth-shattering crash as the Colossal titan kicked in the Trost's outer gate. Chunks of rock and masonry smashed into the defensive barriers and the nearby buildings, shattering them to pieces on impact.

Any living thing near the gate was torn to shreds by the stone fragments. Dozens of people were killed within the first minute of the attack, a good indicator of what the rest of the battle would be like.

* * *

"GET MOVING SOLDIERS!"

"GET YOUR GEAR ON!"

"REMEMBER YOUR TRAINING!"

"We're going to die, oh God, we are all going to die."

"I think I'm gonna be _***bleurgh*.**_"

The armoury had devolved into a cacophony of shouted orders and moving bodies, dozens of men and women ran around, carrying weapons and gas or hastily strapping up their 3DMG harnesses.

Some cadets had already fallen to their knees, rocking and sobbing crying out how it 'wasn't fair', and 'why them' and mumbling how they don't want to die.

Soldiers of the garrison looked pale and frightened, and even the most experienced officers of the regiment tried to hide their own fear behind masks of determination and false courage. The 'masks' didn't quite cover the quiver in their voice as they give their commands.

Shadis was there, as chief instructor of the 104th training corps he was their superior officer and would command in conjunction with the garrison commander. His expression was utterly grim, utterly devoid of any other emotion, even the barely contained anger the cadets were so used to seeing.

He looked over the cadets currently present within the armoury, assigning roles and organising squads.

"Arlert, Yeager! You will join Caroline, Wagnar, Tias and Zeramuski in squad 34. You will be in the middle guard defending the area around the Church of the Rose. Ackerman, you will join the elites in the rear guard covering the evacuation."

Mikasa had opened her mouth to protest her assignment to the rearguard, but Shadis had already turned away. He had countless cadets milling about that needed organisation and assignments.

"Come on, Armin, let's go." Eren said as he started to move towards their squadmates, "This is it, this is what we have trained for. Finally, we have the chance for vengeance against these monsters."

"Eren, Armin." Mikasa had grabbed Eren's arm, bring him to a halt as she looked at the two boys "If things take a turn for the worse, I want you both to come find me, alright?"

"What?! We are in completely different squads." Eren sounded confused at Mikasa request.

"Look, if things go like last… like Shiganshina, this will get ugly, and the plan will fall apart. If we are together, we can protect each other, okay?"

"You're telling us to abandon our squad, our mission?! Who the hell do you think you are?!" Eren angrily interjected, taking a step towards her.

"Eren!" Armin's already frayed patience had nearly reached its limit, "Have you forgotten how quickly home fell? How quickly the titans tore through the garrison? We are about to go head to head with the most dangerous creatures on earth; there is a genuine chance we could die here. Mikasa is just looking out for us, so stop being a dick!"

Eren's expression when from one of surprise at Armin's raised voice and curse, to one of anger at the suggestion that he had somehow forgotten the titans tearing apart their home, before finally settling on one of shame and embarrassment.

"Sorry," he mumbled, his bloodlust temporarily forgotten "but I won't abandon my squad if it gets rough, I won't leave them like I left Mum." With that, he stalked off to join Mina and the others.

"Armin…"

"I know Mikasa, I'll try and keep him safe, but we might not have a choice anymore."

Mikasa looked around, making sure they were not being eavesdropped "I could do it. We could go right now and move the boulder."

Armin wanted to say yes, he really did. They could quickly make their way to the breach while everyone is still running around, Mikasa could shift and carry the boulder to the shattered gate before any titans could get in.

But he knew it wouldn't work like that. He shook his head "If you do it, Reiner and Bertholdt will know someone took Annie's power, they'd know that someone was onto them."

"You have to keep it hidden, okay? Only if your life in is danger or Reiner is charging the inner gate. Even if Eren or I are in danger, you can't reveal yourself."

Mikasa wasn't happy with that; her lips thinned as her eyes narrowed at the blond boy. There were not many people on Earth who could stare down an unhappy Mikasa Ackerman, but fortunately, Armin was one of them.

With a frustrated sigh, she nodded, "Then you'd better stay safe, Armin."

"I'll try Mikasa, make sure you do the same."

The pair departed, making their way towards their respective squads. For the second time in their lives, they would be fighting to defend Trost from the Titans, both hoping that while the couldn't stop the attack, they might be able to save more people than last time.

* * *

Trost was burning.

Smoke was billowing near the broken remains of the gate, the nearby buildings burned and collapsed, as a fire began to spread.

Armin watched it from rooftops; the sense of déjà vu was all-consuming. By this point the vanguard would almost be completed wiped out, the cessation of cannon fire had been the first indicator, and the head of a 15m class titan poking above the buildings only a few blocks away was all the confirmation he needed. Unfortunately, it would take the higher-ups a while longer before they realised this.

Soon the Titans would reach their position, and they would have to fight. He looked at Eren, determination clear on his face as he stared at the distant titans, the white-knuckle grip he had of his sword hilts showed his desire to fight.

The other members of squad 34 stood around them awaiting orders. While nothing had been said, it seemed they had decided that the two of them were the squad leaders and would follow their lead.

"Look at it this way, Armin. It's a golden opportunity if we prove our worth as soldiers right here, right now, they'll have to let us graduate early. We could join the survey corps as tested soldiers and skip rookie status altogether, hell, they might even give us command of our own squad!" Eren smiled happily at him.

Armin always thought it was both fascinating and slightly disturbing how quickly Eren's emotional state could switch. One moment he would be utterly wild, projecting his uncontained hatred and fury towards any foe and then the next he could be calm, happy and joking around.

"Yeah," he replied, returning a small smile, one that certainly didn't match his actual feelings "that sounds good."

"Now, now, boys. You're not the only ones here. Save some glory for the rest of us!" Mina quipped at them, amusement evident in her voice. The other three laughed or smiled at the comment.

Armin couldn't believe it; how could she be joking at a time like this? Unless he did something to save her, she would be dead in within five minutes. All four of them would be.

He ignored the back and forth banter between Thomas and Eren as he continued staring towards the gate. He wanted to yell out or hit something; he felt completely trapped. Ever since they landed on this rooftop, he had been planning, trying desperately to think of something he could do to keep them safe.

He's a better soldier than last time, thanks to his years of experience in the survey corps, but he was no Mikasa. He couldn't take on half a dozen titans to protect his team.

He knew his best chance was to somehow stop Eren from charging off in a rage and to do that he would need to keep Thomas alive. The Aberrant that killed him had leapt across the block snatching him mid-air and crashing into the church spire with Thomas trapped between its teeth. When the titan swallowed him down, Eren had snapped, screaming for blood and vengeance and launched himself at it. Then everything fell apart.

That couldn't happen again, so Thomas had to live.

"Squadron 34, move out! The vanguard needs support!" a garrison officer shouted at them from a nearby roof.

"Right! Give 'em hell!" Eren shouted

Armin didn't join in the battle cry the others let out_ 'You're only going to have one chance at this Arlert, so don't mess it up' _he thought to himself as he fired his grappling hooks and launched himself off the roof.

He flew through the air, fingering the gas trigger timing his release to give him the acceleration needed. He positioned himself so he was flying next to Thomas but kept his eyes locked firmly ahead.

There. Dead ahead, was the jumping abnormal. Armin watched as it tensed up then kick out, throwing itself into the air toward them.

He squeezed the left gas trigger for all its worth, and he careened into Thomas, smashing into the taller blond and pushing him out of the leaping Titans' path. He didn't have time to celebrate; however, as by saving Thomas, he was now directly in the Titan's path.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the titan flew towards him, its salivating maw was wide open, ready to swallow him whole. He squeezed both triggers, pushing himself straight up away from the creature's mouth, he tensed his core and twisted sideways in mid-air as the titan passed underneath him. He felt the titan's hair lightly brush against him, showing just how close the titan had missed him by. He heard its jaws snapping shut where he been only seconds before.

Either through sheer luck or some divine intervention, Armin had managed to time his manoeuvre perfectly. As he spun round to face the earth again, the titan's nape passed beneath him. It was completely exposed and almost in touching distance, it was the perfect set up, and one Armin wouldn't allow to slip through his fingers.

He brought the Iron bamboo swords down, powered by his momentum and the sharpness of the blades they bit deep into the titan's skin, then cleaved through its nape as if it were made of paper. Blood spurted out and splattered against his face and clothes, signalling his first-ever 3DM titan kill.

Time sped up again as he finished his spin, the now-dead titan smashed into the church spire, cracking the stone and shattering the windows. It was stuck there for a moment, lifeless arms had wrapped around it during the impact, until gravity claimed its corpse, peeling it off the church spire.

It fell to earth with a resounding thud.

Armin landed on the nearby rooftop with surprising grace, most of his squad members stared at him with open mouths, stunned at what they had just seen.

"Holy shit," One of them breathed out "you killed it."

Thomas was the only one not looking solely at Armin. He was staring down at the dead, steaming titan. "That thing was coming straight at me, and I just froze up. I… I should be dead." The colour had drained from his face, and he looked unnaturally pale. "You saved me Armin, thank you."

Armin gave a quick nod in reply, to ecstatic to even speak. He had done it; Thomas was alive and completely unharmed, and the Abnormal titan was dead. In that single instant, the feeling of hot titan blood splattered across his face slowly evaporating away was one of the most satisfying moments in his entire life.

It was undeniable proof that he could change things, that he could save them. And by the walls he would, he would save them all…

"Come on guys, Armin's already killed one. Let's not fall behind!" Eren shouted almost joyfully, as he leapt off the roof towards the titans down the street.

"EREN NOO!" in an instant any inkling of success he felt disappeared entirely, as he watched Eren soar away from him. He couldn't move, stunned still at Eren's utter recklessness.

He could only watch in dismay as a titan jumped up from directly below Eren, and its jaw closing around his leg, severing it in an instant.

Armin moved without thinking, jumping and taking flight as Eren crashed down onto the building, his body smashing into dormers and sliding along the hard tiles. The rest of the squad followed, rushing to the aid of their injured comrade.

Armin had to dive hard left to avoid a titan lumbering in from one of the side streets, but Nack was not so lucky. He crashed into its swinging arm at high speed; the terrible impact shattered his body in an instant, an explosion of blood and gore was all that remained of the cadet.

'_No, no, no, NO! This can't be happening, not again!' _Nack's horrific end had provided Armin with sickening clarity, in his haste to reach Eren he had practically led his squad straight into the Titan's den.

Mina had shot past him but was suddenly jerked back mid-air and crashed hard into a wall. She was still alive but dazed and winded by the impact.

He looked down at the 4m class titan that had grabbed one of Mina grapple wires, causing her crash and how it was now peered down at Mina. Its long arms reached for her, grabbing her and pulled the screaming girl towards its mouth.

Armin blades sliced across the back of its neck. It was a sloppy kill, fuelled by desperation more than anything, as the cut was only just deep enough to kill. The Titan's grip loosened, and Mina fell from its hand as it died landing hard on the ground she scrabbled backwards, away from its carcass looking utterly terrified. A dark wet patch was spreading down the legs of her trousers.

"MINA MOVE!" he screamed at her, begging her to get up. He had gotten lucky killing that titan, it had been focused on its upcoming meal rather than him, but he knew that if another titan grabbed her, he wouldn't be so fortunate.

Against all the odds, she did. Shakily she pushed herself up and fired her grappling hooks onto the nearby roof. She landed on her hands and knees and quickly scrambled away from the edge out of reach from any nearby titan before promptly throwing up. Armin landed beside her to check for any injuries.

"NO! PLEASE STOP! I DON'T WANT TO **AAARRRRRGH!**"

He turned in time to see that Milieus had been grabbed by an 11m class titan which had just bitten of his right arm. Blood poured out of ruined stump as Milieus screamed in agony. Armin was too far away to do anything and could only watch on uselessly.

He had lost another squad member.

"LET HIM GO YOU BASTARD!"

Thomas landed directly on the titan's nose, plunging both of his blades deep into its beady eyes. Reddish ichor poured from its ruptured eyeballs as it roared in pain, releasing the screaming Milieus.

In a move that even Shadis would have smiled at, Thomas leapt from the Titans face, diving between its rising hands he grabbed the falling Milieus, before swinging away from the furiously screeching titan.

Armin couldn't believe it, Thomas had saved Milieus. He might be missing an arm, but at least he was alive.

Thomas landed heavily next to Armin and the shaking, dry heaving Mina. He placed the whimpering Milieus down and started looking for something to bandage the bleeding stump with, resolve set on his face. He looked as if he was about to say something to Armin before his eyes went wide.

"Oh my god… Eren!"

Armin head snapped round, look to where Eren had fallen. The giant bearded Titan had picked the barely conscious Eren up by his jacket and was dangling him above his gaping pit of a mouth.

"EREN!" Armin screamed helplessly, knowing it was too late.

The titan let go, dropping Eren straight down its throat, swallowing him whole.

For the second time in his life, Armin watched as the bearded titan swallowed his friend. He felt like someone had punched him square in the stomach and torn it out, all he could do now was hope that Eren would shift.

"W…we have to fall back; this whole area is getting overrun." He couldn't let himself fall apart like last time; he still had a squad to command. "Thomas, Mina can you get Milieus back over the wall? He needs proper medical attention."

"Armin, I… I'm so sorry." Thomas started before he was cut off.

"Now isn't the time Thomas, if Milieus don't get to a doctor soon, he'll die. Can you two get him there?" Armin's cold and commanding voice caught both Thomas and Mina off-guard.

They exchanged quick glances before nodding.

"What will you do Armin?" Mina blurts out. She looks dead on her feet; exhaustion, shame and fear had sapped the vitality from her face. This was her first real battle, and she had nearly been killed. She had thrown up and lost control of her bladder due to the sheer unadulterated terror of her close encounter with the Titan.

Armin didn't judge her for that, he had gone complete catatonic after his first encounter, but he knew he was doing the right thing by sending her, Thomas and Milieus to safety. He may have lost Nack, and Milieus had lost his arm, but at least those three would live.

"I'll rendezvous with the other squads, now go!" he pointed towards the wall with one of his swords to emphasise his order.

As the pair departed carrying their wounded comrade, leaving Armin alone on the roof and he turned back towards the Bearded Titan. It hadn't moved at all since it swallowed Eren, just continued staring up into the sky with its cold, lifeless eyes.

"Come on, Eren, we need you. You have to fight." He whispered to himself.

_Thud, Thud_

_Thud, Thud_

_Thud, Thud_

He can feel his heart beating against his chest as he stares at the Titan, doubt creeping into his mind. What if Eren can't shift? What if he is too severely injured? What if he was crushed in the titan's oesophagus or drowning in its stomach acid. What if…

An arm suddenly punches out of the titan's mouth, open palm reaching towards the sky. Steam erupts out of its mouth at the massive internal damage caused by the giant arm.

The titan stumbles and falls as its body morphs and stretches, skin and muscle being pushed and torn from the inside, bulging out as something starts to stand within the titan. Then like an overripe fruit being dropped from a height, it explodes. Blood splashing against the buildings and road, some even reaching Armin's boots despite being several stories up.

Like some morbid rebirth, a new titan rises from the ruins of the old. This titan was different than the others. Its proportions were normal, its arms and legs the right size for its body, its torso was broad and muscular. A long, impish face with piercing green eyes could be seen through its blood-covered black hair.

Steam blasted out between its sharp exposed teeth, as the new titan tilted its head back and opened its mouth.

Relief flooded through Armin as Eren roared for all of Trost to hear.

* * *

Since she joined their squad, the other soldiers had been giving her funny looks. They couldn't understand why a cadet, a not even graduated cadet, had been assigned to their squad. They were some of the most experienced, longest-serving soldiers the Trost Garrison had to offer, and in their minds, they had been assigned a liability they couldn't afford during this battle.

Deep down, Mikasa was almost looking forward to once again disabusing them of that notion. She was not weak, so was no liability.

The rear guard had been broken up into teams of 4 and had been spread out to cover the streets approaching the inner gate. She didn't know any of her team members names, and she didn't care to learn them, that wasn't necessary information right now.

Across the burning district is where the people important to here are; Eren, Historia, Jean, Connie, Sasha, Armin. They had been put right in the thick of the fighting while she had once again been assigned to the back.

Why would command place the best soldiers to the back, away from the enemy while sending the untested cadet in front? She didn't know if it was cowardness or incompetence, but it made her blood boil all the same.

"INCOMING TITAN! ON MAIN STREET!"

An abnormal titan barrelled past them, completely ignoring the soldiers as it ran towards the gate. Its arms were flailing wildly behind its back as it smashed into buildings, kicking a wandering soldier out of its path. Its head swayed side to side, but its hungry eyes remained fixed on the large cluster of civilians by the open gate.

The elites pursued it, shocked at its behaviour.

"Why is this son of a bitch ignoring us?!"

"It's an abnormal. Stop trying to figure it out!"

"He's too fast! There's no way we can get to him before he reaches the gate!"

Mikasa charged past them, ignoring their surprised yells. She fires her grappling hook directly into the Titans nape, and with a burst of gas, she covers the remain distance at breakneck speed before slashing her blades across the target. The abnormal titan comes crashing down, its face scrapping along the cobblestone road as it slides, before coming to a stop barely a metre away from the mob of the terrified civilians.

"Excellent timing. You, make these morons push my wagon through." The fat merchant demanded, pointing at her. Once again, his selfishness and greed was holding up the evacuation.

She jumped off the steaming corpse, landing before the crowd. The civilians parted for her, like the sea once did in one of Armin's old books, as she stalked towards the merchant.

"My comrades are dying back there, trying to hold back the titans so Trost can be evacuated. They are being torn apart because this gate is still open."

"You think I care?" the overweight, balding man sneered "They're soldiers, it's their duty to die protecting us. Don't get all teary-eyed at me because you have to earn your keep after all these years!"

She came to a stop, pointing one of her blunted blades at him, "Remove the wagon, or you'll find out how effective these swords are against humans."

"Who the hell do you think you are, bitch?! You two, go teach her some respect!"

Two of his bodyguards charged at her; fists raised ready to strike. She ducked under them and slammed the flat edge of her blades against the back of their heads, knocking them out.

Now the merchant looked afraid, "Don't you have any idea who I am?! I'm Dimo Reeves, the richest man in this shithole district. My taxes pay for your wages, your gear and your training! I own you!"

'_Ackermans. A lost clan who lost their true selves, created only to follow orders.'_

'_In over words, __**slaves**__.'_

The merchants head snapped back violently; a sickening crack broke the silence. He fell on his arse, screaming in pain, blood pouring from his broken nose.

"Nobody owns me." She spat out at him in a tone so cold it could have frozen fire. The man's blood-covered her fist from the hard punch.

She looked at up his two remaining bodyguards by the wagon, challenging them, daring them to do come to the crying man's aid.

They didn't.

"Move the wagon." She growled out at them.

They did.

Mikasa watched as the civilians passed through the gate, the wagon had been moved and abandoned as she'd ordered, and the remaining bodyguards had dragged the sobbing merchant away.

"You're amazing! Thank you, miss." A young girl, no more than 11 stood before her, looking up at her with a smile.

The girl was younger than last time Mikasa had seen her, locked in that prison cell, but she still recognised her, Louise Howe.

Originally the girl had been inspired by her actions during Trost and had joined the military wanting to follow in Mikasa's footsteps. She'd idolised her and had signed onto the survey corps, hoping to get closer to her.

But then she fell in with Floch and the Yeagerists, betrayed both her and the survey corp. She was one of the soldiers responsible for leaking information about Eren's arrest, which had turned the public against them.

"You saved our lives, miss. All of us are in your debt." Louise's mother was holding tightly to her daughter's shoulders as she thanked her.

Mikasa could already see the hero-worship starting to form on Louise's expression, but she was determined to put a stop to that. She wouldn't inspire another traitor to her corps.

"Did you not hear what I said? People are dying so you can evacuate, we need to close the gate."

That made Mrs Howes realise she and her daughter were still within the titan infested Trost, with the gate wide open. She gave a brief nervous apology before quickly dragging Louise through the gate without another word.

When the last civilian passed through the gate, one of the rear-guard fired off a green flare, indicating the evacuation was complete and signally the second part of the plan was now in effect.

The massive inner gate started to descent, sealing off Trost from the rest of Wall Rose territory, as the rear-guard regrouped on the nearby roof as the rain began to fall.

"Good work Ackerman, walls knows what would have happened if that Titan had reached the civvies." The leader of the elite squad, Ian or something, praised her, looking surprised that a cadet had achieved something his team could not.

She nodded as she replaced her dull blades.

"Alright, stage two of the plan is now in effect, we are to withdraw from Trost and make for the top of the wall. There we can organise and prepare for our counter-attack."

Mikasa had no intention of leaving Trost yet, not while Eren and Armin were still in the city.

Without warning, she abandoned the roof, heading towards where she knew the other cadets would be gathering.

"Ackerman! Wait, get back here!" his orders were meant nothing to her while their safety was still in question.

Titan after titan fell to her blades, as she carved a bloody path through Trost. Darting from foe to foe, she was like the grim reaper of myth and legend but wielding two swords and wearing a scarf, rather than a scythe and cloak.

Here, she was in her element. Flying through the air, cutting down titans left, right and centre. She would unleash her full fury upon them.

And they would learn to fear her.


	10. Chaos Theory Pt2

The rain continued to fall upon Trost, fat drops of water splashed against its cobbled streets and its white brick buildings. When the wind picked up, the rain fell sideways, blinding anyone standing against it.

During his years in the scouts, Armin had learnt to hate the rain. It was one of the three things that all scouts came to share, regardless of gender, age or experience.

A morbid sense of humour, the ability to drink any non-scout under the table and coming to despising the rain.

After all, what could be worse than risking life and limb against gigantic man-eating monsters in the wildlands beyond the relative safety of the walls? Doing it whilst soaked to the bone and freezing their ba… _bits_ off.

As Armin travelled across Trost, he felt his displeasure bubbling just beneath the surface. The rain lashed against his face, forcing him to squint to keep the water out of his eyes. His uniform was already soaked through, the thin white shirt under his soggy jacket was nearly see-through, and his harness straps were rubbing against his skin through the wet material with a vengeance.

In short, he was cold, miserable, half-blinded and his skin was being rubbed raw. The joys of being a soldier…

Perhaps the only good thing to come from nature's intervention was the extinguishing of the fires spreading through Trost. The sputtering black smoke was all that remained of the blaze that threatened to engulf the city. At least now they wouldn't have to fight in a titan infested kiln.

He knew from memory the other cadets would be gathering on top of the District Town Hall. It was a good central location for the mid-guard to regroup at, as it was practically right in the middle of Trost. But that did mean it was also the furthest point away from the walls.

With the impending gas crisis the cadets would soon face, they would come to regret picking that spot to recuperate at. Now they didn't have a choice about retaking the armoury if they wanted to make it over the walls.

He had left the rampaging Eren behind to re-join the cadets. He doubted his friend was consciously controlling his titan at that moment, so trying to lead Eren anywhere right now directly would likely end in disaster, and if it didn't, it would be tough to explain to the others how he was commanding a 15m class titan around.

But when he pictured the looks on their faces, he wonders if it would have been worth the incredible risk.

Armin noticed how strangely quiet the city had become. With the evacuation complete, the church bells had ceased ringing, and the screaming civilians were now behind wall rose. Without a squad beside him, the only sounds he could make out was the falling rain, the wind and his own breathing as he soared through the air. In a strange way, it could almost be described as peaceful.

And that made what he came across next so much worse.

"No, no, no, please, Franz, please!" On the street below, Hannah Diamant, the normally kind and cheerful girl, was weeping over the mutilated body of her boyfriend, Franz Kefka.

Armin landed opposite her, getting a clear look at Franz. Even with everything he had seen in his life, the sight of a person who had been bitten clean in half turned his stomach. He called her name as he knelt down next to Franz, careful to avoid the puddle of blood which surrounded his lower half, not sure if she was aware of his presence.

"Oh Armin, thank the Gods. Franz is hurt, he needs help." the freckled girl spared him only a second glance before turning back to her boyfriend.

Armin was no doctor, but he had read plenty of medical books and seen countless injuries in his life. He knew that Franz's wounds were fatal, no normal human could survive injuries like that, the shock and the blood loss alone would…

A bloody, hacking cough interrupted his thoughts, as he looked down, wide-eyed, and completely lost for words. Franz was still alive.

"Ha…hann..ah." the voice from the ruined boy was scarcely above a whisper.

"Hold on Franz. Look, Armin is here now, he can help you. You're going to be alright now, okay?" The girl held the boy's hand and lightly stroked his short black hair as she spoke.

Slowly Franz's head turned towards him, his face was ghostly pale, and blood dribbled out his open mouth. His glassy eyes found Armin's downcast ones, and a moment of understanding passed between them.

Franz realised that he was going to die; his injuries were catastrophic, and he knew there was nothing Armin could do to help him. But Franz had clung to life, not because he thought he might survive, but to do one last thing.

Slowly, Franz's bloody hand shakily reached towards him, and Armin grasped it with his own, as what little of Franz's remaining strength started to fade away.

"Ar… armin…" his hand now lay limp in Armin's grip, as his voice grew softer with every word, "get… han… safe… please."

He squeezed the dying boy's hand, trying to offer some comfort in his last moments.

"I will Franz, I promise." He didn't realise he was crying until the first tear fell onto their joined hands, only to be washed away by the rain.

"Tha… nk you." Franz let out with his last ragged breath before his eyes slowly closed and did not open again.

"Franz?! Franz! Noo!" Hannah let out an agonised wail as she started performing CPR, desperately hoping to bring him back.

'_That's another death on your hands, Arlert. Another victim to your failure.' _A cruel, spiteful voice echoed in his mind. He had seen and caused death so many times before; friend and foe alike, but this had been the first time someone had practically died in his arms.

He may have never been that close to Franz, in either life, but the good-natured boy had always been kind and friendly, he never mocked or insulted anyone and only ever wanted for everyone to get along.

To watch as the life slowly drained out of him had shaken Armin to his very core.

During his first life, Franz was already dead when he came across Hannah, trying to revive him. He tried to tell her he was dead, but Hannah wouldn't listen. So, he had left her, like a coward, emotionally broken and clinging to Franz's body on the street.

He had been the last person ever to see the pair of them, as no remains of the two were ever discovered during the post-battle clean-up.

He wiped the tears from his eyes and stood up. He couldn't save Franz, but he would fulfil his promise to him.

He moved next to Hannah, taking care to avoid stepping over Franz's body. The girl seemed completed oblivious to his movement, as she continued to perform chest compressions and mouth to mouth.

He crouched down next to the crying girl, placing his hand on her heaving shoulder. "We need to get off the street Hannah; it's too dangerous to stay down here."

"What? No, we can't leave. Franz needs help!"

"I'm so sorry, Hannah, but Franz… he's gone."

"Don't say that! He's not dead! He's not!" She shouted at him, anger and grief thick in her voice.

Armin bit his lower lip, not sure how to proceed. Hannah, in the depths of anguished denial, didn't want to listen to him, but he knew they couldn't stay here; a titan could arrive at any moment, and he had promised Franz to save Hannah.

He hooked his arms under hers, lifting her up as he pulled her away from Franz's remains. She screamed and struggled, desperate to break away from his grip.

"NOO! GET OFF ME! FRANZ!"

"I'm sorry, Hannah, but we can't stay here."

"LET GO OF ME!" Armin caught an elbow to the side of the face but managed to hold on.

"Hannah, HANNAH! Please listen to me…" Unexpectedly, the girl's screaming died down slightly. She was still fighting against his grip, and he knew if he relaxed, she would break free.

"I know how you're feeling, believe me, I know. I know the pain, the loss and the suffering. I've felt it too. I've lost countless friends and family, people I loved and cared for, people I would give my life to bring back. It's painful, I know that it's so painful."

"But Franz loved you; he loved you so much. He held on until he knew you would be safe, that you would survive. Please, don't let that be in vain."

With a final soul-rending wail, her resolve broke, and she went slack in his arms, the overwhelming grief draining the fight from her. Taking his chance, Armin span her around and scooped her legs up, carrying her bridal style. She wrapped her arms around him as she buried her face into his shoulder, the floodgate of tears fully opened.

With a final glance back at the lifeless Franz and whispered, "I'm sorry", before turning around and firing off his grappling hooks and took off into the sky.

Hannah continued to cry quietly on his shoulder as he silently carried her across the city.

* * *

Their landing on the roof wasn't easy as 3DM gear could be challenging to use at the best of times but using it while carrying someone made it infinitely more demanding. Armin nearly toppled over, not anticipating the effect Hannah's weight had on his centre of gravity but managed to right himself just in time.

He looked around, assessing the situation. The rooftop was filled with dozens of cadets all milling about. Most were sitting down looked exhausted or resigned, some tapped at their gas canisters hoping that somehow more gas might suddenly materialise. He could see Jean and Marco sitting together, and a handful of others he knew well. Distressingly, there seemed to be fewer cadets present than there had been last time. Armin hoped it was because he had arrived sooner than before, as he hadn't gone catatonic after Eren's 'death' like last time.

He knew that if there were going to survive this, he would have to take control but right now wasn't the time. Despite him likely being in the top 10 now, he knew that the other cadets didn't see him as proper leadership material, he didn't have the commanding presence of Mikasa or the sheer bloody-mindedness Eren possessed.

He decided to wait until Mikasa arrived, and then together they would whip their comrades into shape and retake the armoury.

"Hannah!" a girl with short black hair ran over to them, turning some heads with her yell. Armin started to feel slightly self-conscious under their combined gazes, as he was still carrying the sobbing Hannah.

"What happened?" she asked him. He couldn't recall the girl's name but remember she was often sitting with Hannah and Franz during meals. She must be one of their friends.

"I think her squad was wiped out, I found her and…" his words died in his throat as a muffled wail picked up. He looked at the girl, trying to convey the information about Franz with his eyes.

The heartbroken expression that appeared on her face showed she understood.

"Oh, Hannah, I'm so sorry." She reached out to comfort her grieving friend.

Armin gently pried Hannah off of him, allowing the girl to pull her friend into a hug. Armin quietly pulled away from the hugging pair, knowing that she would do a better job of helping the grieving Hannah than he could.

It takes around 20 minutes before Mikasa joins them, landing on the roof with unmatched grace. In that time the rooftop had swelled with additional cadets; Historia, Ymir, Connie, Sasha and a dozen more had joined them.

As had Reiner and Bertholdt.

It had taken Armin all his self-control to not march straight up to them and run them through with his blades. The sight of them standing around, acting as if they were not entirely responsible for this disaster, had filled him with rage.

Bastards, treacherous bastards both.

The half Asian cadet headed straight toward him, completely ignoring Jean's flustered questions about her safety and health.

"Armin, are you alright?"

"I'm fine Mikasa, I take it that was you?" he gestured towards the rising haze of steam from the direction of the inner gate.

She raises an eyebrow, seemingly bemused he even needs to ask. "Where's Eren and the rest of your squad?"

Armin noticed a few nearby cadets were not so subtly listening in; they must have noticed that Eren wasn't with him and also wanted to know what had happened.

"A titan got Nack, and Milieus lost his arm. I told Mina and Thomas to get him over the wall and to a doctor. Eren… Eren was swallowed by a titan." He slightly emphasised the word swallowed, hoping Mikasa would understand that Eren was still alive and he was now tearing through Trost in titan form. Nevertheless, to the eavesdropping cadets, it just sounded like someone in denial over a dead friend.

There's a flicker of concern in her eyes when she hears about Eren's fate.

She had told him several weeks after their return that she no longer had that 'bond' Eren had told them about; she no longer received headaches when she didn't intervene in Eren and Jean constant fights, or when contemplating smacking him over the head for doing something stupid.

But she still cared about him, and no-one wants to hear something like that had happened to their friend, even one who could turn into a 15m tall titan.

"I see…" she states slowly, before looking around. The prying cadets quickly looked away, not wanting to be caught spying by Mikasa. "We can't stay here much longer. The rear-guard has already withdrawn, and that gate has been sealed."

"Yeah, it's time to leave. Let's go gather the troops."

Together they walk toward the building edge, as they looked across the city. The armoury dominated the Trost skyline; ignoring the walls, it was the largest structure within the district and had been constructed on a hill, further raising it above the rest of the city.

Even from here, Armin could see the titans surrounding it, scratching at its mighty walls trying to reach the few survivors still trapped inside.

He took a deep breath as he turned to face the cadets. He channelled his inner Instructor Shadis and opened his mouth.

"104th, FALL IN!" he shouted, inwardly cringing at how strange it sounded for his shrill voice to fire off military commands. Despite his complete lack of authority, muscle memory had most of the cadets on their feet and facing him in an instant.

Excellent. He had their attention, and now he needed to keep it and convince them to follow him.

"As most of you know, the evacuation of Trost has been completed, and the rear-guard has now pulled out of the city. As per the original plan, we are to withdraw with them."

Before he could continue, Jean interrupted him, "How the hell are we supposed to do that, Arlert? I don't know if you've noticed, but we barely have enough gas to reach the wall, let alone get over it!"

"We are not going to the walls. As Jean says, we don't have the gas needed to leave Trost, so that leaves us with only one option." He pointed behind him. "We will retake the armoury from the Titans."

There was an oppressive silence at that declaration; his fellow trainees couldn't quite believe what they had heard. He wanted them to fly halfway across the titan infested city, clear out Gods knows how many titans surrounding the building, all with minimal gas and limited blades.

The idea was almost too insane to comprehend. However, such stunned disbelief could not last.

"You what?!"

"Are you mad?!"

"Forget that! The titans have it surrounded!"

"Hell no! That's suicide."

"Who the hell put you in charge?!"

Dozens of voices cried over each other, openly expressing their fear, disbelief or anger. All of which were directed entirely at him.

Clearly, they didn't approve of his plan.

"Enough!" Mikasa's snapped at the baying cadets. The anger in her voice was more than enough to silence the others.

"You hide on this rooftop, begging and praying for someone to save you, yet when Armin offers you the chance to fight for your own survival, you refuse. You are not soldiers, you are just pitiful weaklings and cowards." She accusingly pointed her sword at the still cadets, before raising it in the air in defiance.

"But Armin and I are not weak. We are strong, stronger than the rest of you combined. We didn't spend years of our lives training to fight and survive, only to lay down and die when things get difficult. We refuse to cower and wait for our enemy to devour us."

"Even if we have to do it alone, we will head for the armoury. If we lose, then we go down fighting, weapon in hand, as a real soldier should. But if we win, we survive. And the only way to win is to fight!"

She turned away from them, looking towards their eventual destination. Armin wasn't sure if the notes of disgust in her voice was real or if this was part of an act, but knowing the girl, he doubted it was the latter.

Most of the cadets looked suitably chastened and shamefaced at Mikasa's hard words. They had all been so eager to voice their objections to his plan, but none could bring themselves to protest Mikasa holding up a mirror to their flaws.

Eventually, a quiet, desperate voice once more breaks the silence, "But how? How are we supposed to get there? Most of us are running on fumes, and there are dozens of titans standing in our way. They'll slaughter us, and there is nothing we can do to stop them." A few other cadets nod or mutter in support, sharing similar thoughts and concerns.

Many years ago, during the planning to retake Shiganshina Commander Erwin had told Armin that doubt was infectious, it could spread from person to person faster than any plague and could be just as debilitating. A soldier consumed by doubt on the field will, quite literally, be consumed.

If he wanted the cadets to follow them, if he wanted them to survive, he would have to prevent it from spreading further.

"We can make it. Look at how Trost has been designed, can't you see how most of these buildings have been constructed? They have been built in large, continuous blocks, well out of reach of all but the tallest titans. If you are really low on gas, stick to running across the rooftops where possible, you'll only need to use it when jumping to the next block. This will be slower, but you won't end up falling out of the sky."

"As for the titans, they are not invincible. I've already killed two, Mikasa has killed over a dozen, and I reckon we are not the only ones. Just remember your training; aim for the napes and don't keep your arms and legs dangling."

Some cadets looked more hopeful, but more still looked doubtful. Armin suppressed a sigh; they were running out of time. Perhaps it was time for a change in tactics.

"Ultimately, Mikasa is right. There are only two outcomes left for us now. You either stay here and die, or you fight. Now is the time to figure out what kind of person you truly are."

With that, he turned away, joining Mikasa as they focused on the objective at hand.

"You ready?" she whispers to him. He nods slightly as the rain continued to bathe the city, cleansing its blood-filled streets.

Together they jumped off the roof.

* * *

Without the grief of Eren's supposed death pushing her on, Mikasa was using her gas at a far more sustainable rate. It didn't decrease her lethality however, as she continued to carve through any titans that stood in her way.

They were nearly halfway to the armoury now, and the number of titans was increasing. There seemed to be two or three of the monsters at every junction, each trying, with various degrees of success, to grab one of the passing cadets.

Armin let out a blast of gas to propel himself over a 13m titan, dodging its grasping hand. As he reached the apex of his manoeuvre, he fired off his grappling hooks while squeezed the gas-triggers to reach the next block.

But nothing happened.

He squeezed again, harder this time, panic starting to rise within him as yet again nothing happens. His hooks did not fire, and gas was not expelled.

There's a moment of weightlessness as he finally reaches the top of his arch, a second or two of simply gliding through the air before gravity starts to pull him down.

Armin almost wants to laugh as he realised what's happened, for all his words and plans to the other cadets he didn't think to check his own gas supply.

It was a stupid, idiotic mistake. It was one of the many things that training had relentless drummed into his head. Whenever you get a chance, always check your gas supply. But like a greenhorn cadet on his first day of training he hadn't.

He had been relying on his memories of last time, remembering that he had enough gas to reach the armoury. He had been focusing on Mikasa, more concerned about her supply than his own.

But things were different now. He had used far more gas this time; he'd killed two titans which required precious gas to manoeuvre himself for the killing blow, and he had carried Hannah for a time which used up further gas. He must have been running on fumes, and now those fumes were gone.

'_Good job Arlert. Apparently, time travel doesn't save you for your own stupidity…' _

He plummeted like a stone, crying out in shock as he fell. He could see the building below rapidly rising to meet him, the only thing he could do was to brace himself knowing full well this was going to hurt.

He heard someone screaming his name as he smashed onto building below, tumbling across the hard tiles before slipping straight over the edge into the alleyway below.

...

...

...

"Urrgh…" a loud groan was the first sign of his returning consciousness. Armin cracked open an eye, squinting into the sky. Everything was blurred and spinning, and his head was throbbing painfully as a trickle of blood flowed down his face from the small cut on his forehead.

He slowly pushed himself up, headache worsening as he moved, and spat out a glob of bloody saliva onto the floor. He looked around the dirty alleyway he found himself in, as he sat upon a large metal dustbin, which now had a human-sized dent in it.

'_How did I get… oh right, the fall.'_

Pieces of broken of wood and metal laid around him, they were all that remained of his 3DM gear. He must have landed on it during the crash, breaking his fall. That had probably saved his life, but now he was stranded at street level with no way out.

He rested his bruised and scraped hands against his head, massaging his temples, trying to relieve the pressure from his pounding head. It didn't seem to work as the thudding only seem to worsen; at first, he thought his head was going to split in two. The thudding was so intense it shook his vision.

When his entire body started to shake with it, he realised the thudding wasn't just from his head.

At the end of the filthy backstreet, a smiling, potbellied titan was slowly walking towards him.

"There's no way my luck is that bad." he deadpanned.

He threw himself off the dumpster, trying to get out of reach of the titan. His body protested at the rapid movement as he landed hard on the cobbled floor, narrowly avoiding the monster's hand.

He scrambled away, pushing himself back onto his feet. He was desperately searching for any weapon he could use against the crouching titan when his eyes fell on a jagged fragment of one of his blades, which must have sheered off in the fall. There was no hilt attached to it, so it sunk deep into his flesh, cutting through skin and muscle when he snatched it up and slashed it against the titan's outstretched fingers.

In response the titan simply batted him away, sending him flying further down the alley and robbing him of his 'weapon'.

It takes all the strength he has to get back up; every muscle in his body is crying out in pain from the abuse it has received both in the fall and the fight. His heart is beating painfully against his chest, and he struggles to breathe, semi-winded by the titan's blow.

He sways unsteadily on his feet, bloody hand cradling his bruised ribs, wondering how he was going to make it out of this situation. His racing mind came to a screeching halt as another set of thudding started to come from behind him.

He twisted around, dreading what he would see. There was only one thing that could create that noise; only one thing that could shake the ground as it moved. It was another Titan.

Apparently, the powers that be had decided he'd had enough bad luck for now and decided to take mercy on him. While it was another titan that appeared behind him, this one was different. Very different.

"Eren…" he breathed out, falling to his knees in relief, as the familiar green-eyed titan loomed over him.

Eren let out a terrible roar as he punched the other titan to the ground, the force of the blow was enough to shatter every window in the alleyway. Shards of glass fell like raindrops.

Before the fallen titan could get off its back, Eren stormed over to it and repeatedly stomped down on its head, intending to destroy the nape by going straight through it. It was a brutal and awe-inspiring display of titan on titan combat.

The pure titan was still twitching and shuddering helplessly under the blows when someone yells his name from behind. Before he can turn around to see who, a blur of black and red slams into him, driving the air from his lungs as he is yanked off the street and into the air.

They landed heavily on the nearby roof with Armin being held tightly in his saviour's embrace.

"Armin, I…I saw you fall, I didn't know… I thought…" Mikasa fell silent for a moment, seemingly debating what to say, "This isn't what 'stay safe' means Armin!".

At this point, Armin was just thankful to be off the street and just looked up at Mikasa with a pained smile, "I'm sorry 'Kasa. I was stupid and careless, but I'm alright now. Thank you… thank you for coming back for me."

She gave a rare smile as she held him close, "I'll always come back for you, Armin."

She ran her eyes over his body, checking for injuries as he lay in her arms. She frowned at the dozens of small scrapes and cuts he now had but gave an audible gasp when she saw his hand.

Careful, she pulled up his hand, inspecting the injury in more detail, "Armin, what happened?"

"It's nothing. I picked up a fragment of my blade when that titan tried to grab me." Armin tried to pull his hand out of her grasp, not wanting to cause her undue concern, but Mikasa had no intention of letting it go.

"That isn't 'nothing' Armin, that's a deep cut. We need to stop the bleeding." Without a second thought, she started unravelling her ever-present scarf from around her neck.

"Wait, Mikasa, you don't have to…" the no-nonsense look she shot him told him that he wouldn't talk her out of this.

Both were silent as she delicately wrapped the old red scarf around his bleeding hand, taking great care to avoid aggravating the wound further. Unlike most soldiers, her hands were still soft and smooth, despite the years of training. It was a side effect of the titan healing ability, for the skin to continually heal, preventing any callouses or scarring from forming.

He shivered slightly as her fingers lightly brushed against the back of his hand.

When the entirety of the scarf was around his hand and forearm, Mikasa held the back of his hand, moving it up so she could inspect the quality of the temporary dressing.

"You didn't need to do that Mikasa; I know how much it means to you." Armin nearly jumps at how loud his voice sounds after the extended period of silence.

She gives him a strange look, as her dark grey eyes met his bright blue ones. "It's just a scarf Armin. You're more important."

For some reason that causes his breath to hitch. He knew the history behind that scarf and how it became Mikasa's. He knew how much it meant to her, he distinctly remembered, when they first joined the cadets, that she beat one of the trainees nearly unconscious when he accidentally caught it, tearing it slightly. It had never been 'just a scarf' to her.

She rarely allowed others to touch it (he and Eren were the few exceptions), let alone wear it. So, to see it wrapped around his hand as a makeshift bandage was a surreal experience.

Suddenly, she broke eye contact, hiding her face as she looked back down at his hand.

Armin got the impression she had wanted to say something more and found that he did as well. Simply saying 'thank you' just seemed wrong; almost disrespectful after such an intimate gesture, but he knew that saying nothing was a far worse option.

Swallowing his uncertainty, he opened his mouth, "Mikasa, I…"

The sudden arrival of Connie shattered the strange tension that had built between the two. Armin wasn't sure if he felt relieved or annoyed at the buzzcut cadet's abrupt appearance.

"Are you guys alright?" he asked them, a slight tremor in his voice from the wild flight across Trost.

Mikasa loosened her grip on him and let go of his hand, allowing Armin to shuffle out of her embrace and stand up.

"We're fine, Connie." Mikasa replied as she stood, brushing a rogue strand of hair from her face.

"Great, then we better get out of here. Oh crap! Two 15m titans!"

All three of them watched as Eren squared off against another titan, letting out a challenging roar as he raised his fists in front of him, ready to fight. Connie gasped at a titan using a recognisably human fighting stance.

The other titan answered with a roar of its own and swung wildly at Eren accepting the challenge. It barely moves before Eren's punch smashes its head clean off its body, muscle and flesh tearing under the force. Its decapitated head is sent flying across Trost, eventually crashing into a church tower.

"Holy shit…" Connie mutters.

The pain seemed to fade from his battered, weary body as Armin smiled. Now was the time to bring Eren fully into the fight.

"Connie, fancy giving me a lift to the armoury? I have another plan, and Mikasa will need both hands free for this to work."

* * *

Fortunately for the three of them, their final dash across the city was no more challenging than the first time they battled for control of Trost; Mikasa cut a path through the titans in their way, leading the furiously roaring Eren toward the armoury, as Connie carried Armin close behind.

With the very last puff of gas, all three smashed through one of the armoury's mosaic windows, landing in front of a petrified Jean, who had just witnessed Eren punching two 15m titans to the ground. After a brief explanation, claiming Eren was simply an 'abnormal' titan, Armin and Mikasa lead the surviving cadets towards the basement.

There was one small change, however, which took Armin by surprise. There were only six titans in the supply room rather than the seven there had been last time. He hesitated for a moment when this was reported to him, curious as to where the seventh had gone but soon realised he shouldn't be complaining about there being one less titan to deal with. He gives out the same plan as last time, lowering a majority of the cadets down in the supply elevator, and shooting out the titan's eyes, while several of the strongest cadets; Sasha, Connie, Mikasa, Jean, and annoyingly, Bertholdt and Reiner would all strike from above.

Anticipating Connie and Sasha to fail again, he asked Ymir and Historia to join them 'just in case', Ymir had tried to protest that, not willing to put 'her Krista' at risk but the blond girl had simply nodded and pulled the protesting Ymir along.

Having a backup plan was something he missed last time, and he wasn't going to risk it this time.

It turned out it was the right thing to do. While Mikasa had killed the titan Sasha missed, she couldn't reach Connie's one without 3DM gear. Fortunately, Historia jumped from the ceiling beam and took it down. Armin saw a genuine smile stretch across her face as she achieved her third titan kill.

Not wanting to lose the command authority he now had over the cadets, he ordered them to quickly resupply; filling up gas containers and grabbing spare blades, while he went to find a replacement set of 3DM gear. This time there were no complaints.

As everyone geared up and prepared to withdraw from Trost, Armin quietly pulled Marco aside.

No one knew for sure how Marco had died, but from the fact, Annie had been using his 3DMG after Trost Armin assumed the traitors had something to do with it. Marco must have been killed at some point during the counter-attack as he had still been alive during the withdrawal. So, if Armin could stop him from joining the assault, he would survive.

"Marco, when we get over the wall, could you do me a favour?"

"Sure Armin, we'd probably be dead if it wasn't for your plans, so I owe you one. What do you need?"

"Could you find Mina, Thomas and Milieus and make sure they're okay? Milieus was badly injured, so I told the other two to get him over the wall and to the infirmary."

"Yes, of course I'll check on them. But can I ask why you can't do it?"

He gave the freckled boy a half-smile, "I would, but I've got the feeling I'm going to very busy soon and that my time in Trost isn't over yet."

Five minutes later, Marco watches as that strange, abnormal titan falls, missing both arms yet surrounded by a dozen steaming titan corpses and against all odds a person pulls himself out from its split nape. As if that wasn't bizarre enough, the person in question was the infamous titan hater, and supposedly dead, Eren Yeager.

The few cadets left in Trost travelled silently, as a grim-looking Mikasa carried the unconscious Eren. Marco saw Jean open his mouth to break the silence before deciding against it. He didn't blame him, what were you supposed to say when you find out someone you've trained with for two years, and had an active rivalry with, can turn into a 15m tall titan.

When the small group of cadets landed behind the wall, the garrison quickly surrounded them; swords were drawn, and rifles pointed squarely at them. They were all ordered to step away from Eren, which all but Mikasa and Armin complied with. They had been slapped with a gag order and promptly escorted back to the reserves, leaving the trio from Shiganshina to face the garrison alone.

He had quietly split off from the stunned group, intending to honour his promise to Armin and finding the remains of his squad. As he walked Marco momentarily wondered if Armin was some kind of clairvoyant, as his cryptic message seemed to come true before his very eyes.

Marco just shook his weary head; he was too tired to deal with all this. People appearing from a titan's nape, and blond psychics were well beyond his paygrade. He would focus on something that didn't make his brain hurt.

"Right…" he murmured to himself, "where's that infirmary?"


	11. Chaos Theory Pt3

AN: Firstly let me say a big thank you for all the reviews this fic has received. It's good to know people are enjoying this.

Secondly, as you all no doubt noticed this battle for Trost arc has followed Canon in most ways, and while I can say that after this things start to diverge more, I wanted to explain my reasoning as I did on AO3. Trost is such a vital point for SnK; it reveals Eren's power, which kicks off the show as we know, it gives our main characters their first taste of the brutality of war and everything that comes with that. I didn't feel like I could create a truly different situation which could do all that without it seeming really contrived (I struggle enough with that as it is lol) so I thought it best just to semi-stick to canon.

* * *

Armin suppresses a grimace as he salutes, clenching his wounded hand into a fist and slamming it over his heart. He screams out their innocence and loyalty to humanity in front of dozens of terrified soldiers. He stands, unwaveringly, in front of drawn swords and pointed rifles as he yells to the garrison captain, imploring him to understand that with Eren's powers they could re-take Trost.

He knows it is pointless, he knows his words will not convince or placate the dogmatic officer, but he has to play for time. Eren had already saved them from the first cannonball, the slowly disintegrating skeletal titan stands testament to that, but if another was fired Eren might not be able to stop it.

Mikasa stands a few metres behind him, like a silent sentinel, midway between Eren and himself. Her face is a picture of fury, and she brandishes her swords at the surrounding troops, as she rests her tongue between her teeth, ready to bite down and transform at a moment's notice.

Some of the lesser officers look towards their bearded captain, suggesting that his plan is worth considering. They can see the strategic value of a 'friendly' titan as part of the counter-attack.

But it's no use. The man loses his composure, ordering them to remain silent. He has already decided they are threats and traitors and won't listen to anyone else.

Armin stares coldly at the nervous captain, already expecting this tremendous display of obstinate refusal to see logic and reason. He can only hope he's brought enough time.

The captain brings up his arm, hand pointing towards to sky, ready to signal the cannon to fire. Mikasa is a split second away from biting down, and Eren's hand is drifting toward his mouth when someone grabs the captain's arm and preventing it from going down.

"That's enough. You should really do something about your nervous disposition, Captain Woerman."

Despite the man's advanced age and genial smile, he radiates an aura of authority. Arms now resting behind his back, the bald man calmly walks forwards, pushing aside the stammering Woerman.

"Can you not see this cadet's heartfelt salute? I've only just arrived but have been informed of the situation along the way. Go gather our reinforcements Captain, I think we can at least do these young cadets the favour of hearing them out." decreed Commander Pixis.

* * *

Dot Pixis was by all accounts an eccentric man; his stance that being eaten by a titan wouldn't be so bad if 'it was a sexy lady one' and his predilection for hard liquor, regardless of the situation, definitely made him stand out compared to most other members of the armed forces.

But he was not a man to be trifled with; beneath the friendly, if slightly odd, exterior he was an effective leader able to command and inspire his subordinates with ease. He could also be just as ruthless as Commander Erwin if circumstances required it. After all, he had been prepared to let the government execute Erwin for his scheme to overthrow them, had they not shown their true colours during the fake report of Wall Rose being breached.

He was the highest-ranking commander of the southern territories and had authority over 65% of the entire garrison division, nearly 20000 men and women. Subsequently making him one of the most powerful, and therefore dangerous men within the walls.

Pixis stood at the very edge of Wall Rose, overlooking Trost. He took a swig from his flask, seemingly oblivious to the horde of ravenous titans scratching at the wall 50m below him.

Eren had just finished telling the Commander about the basement in Shiganshina and what his father had told him.

"So… Visiting this cellar should clear everything up?"

"Yes, sir. Well, at least I think so."

"For the moment, there is no way to validate your claims, but for now, I will catalogue them in my head. With that said, I can usually tell the difference between unctuous and the sincere, which is why I personally guarantee your safety."

Eren let out a small sigh of relief at that, while Armin and Mikasa remained quiet. They knew that regardless of what Pixis said, Eren would still be arrested by the MPs after this and have to go through that farce of a trial again.

"You're Cadet Armin Arlert. Is that correct?"

"Yes, sir." He replies with a quick salute.

"You mentioned a plan to use Cadet Yeager's 'titan ability' to retake Trost. Do you believe that could work, or were you grasping at straws to try and save your hides?"

"The former, sir. I was going to suggest that Eren use his ability to lift that giant boulder and use it to seal the breach."

Pixis looks back over the city, assessing the merits and drawbacks of his plan. After a moment of deliberation, he turns back and crouches in front of Eren.

"What do you say, Cadet Yeager? Can you seal that hole, son?"

"I…I don't know, it might be possible, but I don't understand my power any more than you do, Sir."

"Ah, yes. Of course, my apologies. I asked you the wrong question." The commander's friendly smile faded, and was replaced with a heavy stare, "Are you willing to, Cadet Yeager, or not?"

Eren was quiet as he looked behind him at the land behind Wall Rose. They can barely produce enough food to sustain themselves as it is, and if Rose falls and they have to fall back to Sina… The consequences are too dire to imagine.

"I'll do it. I'll do it! I don't know if I can seal that hole, but I'll do it."

The smile returned, "Well said, Cadet Yeager. Now stand up lad, there's a battle to be won."

With Commander Pixis's approval, the planning could begin in earnest. He had summoned up his senior officers, minus Captain Woerman, and set off across the wall with Eren in tow.

Armin and Mikasa watched them go, knowing Pixis wanted to talk to Eren privately before speaking to his troops. It was a sadly familiar sight, and one that had occurred countless times before; Eren leaving them, willingly or not, while they stayed behind. Even when they tried to change the future, they couldn't change that.

A forced, but polite cough from behind brought them out of their melancholy. There stood two of Pixis's aides and senior officers; a tall short-haired man, with a broad chest and stern face and the other was a shorter brunette woman, known to be Pixis's most trusted advisor and his right-hand woman.

"The commander said one of you had a plan to retake Trost?" The woman said with a soothing voice, expecting the two cadets to be nervous about this whole situation and wanting to put them at ease. It wasn't needed, but it was considerate of her to do so.

Both saluted, and Armin stepped forward, "Yes Ma'am, I do. Is there a map we can look at?"

With a slight grunt, the man unrolled a map of Trost and laid it out on one of the wall's crenulations.

"Ok, for this plan to work, we need to execute two simultaneous operations. The first is to gather as many soldiers and cannons as possible in this corner of the city." He pointed to the inner right-hand side of Trost, furthest away from the boulder. "Titans are naturally drawn toward large groups of people, so if we station enough people on top of the wall, the titans will gravitate towards this area, clearing the city."

"While this is going on Eren will travel around the top of the wall and then move into the city, discreetly reaching the boulder, then he will transform and carry it toward the outer gate. However, while Eren is moving it, he will be exceptional vulnerable and will need to be protected at all cost. For that reason, I recommend assigning a squad to go with Eren and defending him once in Trost. And for the record, both Mikasa and I request assignment to this squad, as Eren's closest friends we may be the best people to help him if something goes wrong."

The two garrison officers shared a look of surprise. They hadn't expected two cadets requesting to be sent back into Trost.

"Once the breach has been sealed, we can finish off any remaining Titans with the cannons. There is no reason for more pointless deaths today, so no-one, except the infiltration team, should be sent back into the city until it's secured."

The stern man looked over Armin as if seeing him for the first time. "Hmm, not bad kid. I can't see any massive flaws in that plan, the only issue I have with it is that so much relies on your friend's _ability _to lift that boulder, if he can't then we're dead in the water." He looks to his colleague, silently asking for her opinion.

"I agree, there's a lot riding on his ability, but we're working against the clock, titans are still lumbering in even as we speak. It's a risk, but it's still the best chance we've got. As for your 'request', that will be for the commander and the squad leader to decide."

"It'll take time to reposition all the cannons and bring up the supplies, so I'd advise the two of you to rest for a moment, you've been fighting since the beginning, and you might not get another chance until Trost is secured. In the meantime, we'll sort out the finer details while the commander mobilises the reserves."

"Yes, Ma'am." they both reply in unison, giving a final salute.

* * *

Sometimes it can be difficult to comprehend the sheer scale of wall Rose; 20m thick, 50m high and runs continuously for 1193km. If you kept a steady pace and didn't stop to rest or sleep, it would take nearly 13 days to walk around the entirety of the wall.

But just running along the Trost district section of the wall gave Armin a healthy respect for its size as he sprinted alongside Mikasa and Eren. He was a soldier, so he was more physically fit than most civilians, but after fighting for several hours with limited rest, his body was starting to tire, and this sprint was only making it worse. He was certainly glad for that brief period of rest they got before this operation, as it was probably the only reason he was even able to keep up with his two friends.

In the end, it hadn't been too difficult to convince the squad leader that they should join the mission. The man, Ian Dietrich, had been Mikasa's squad leader in the rear-guard and knew of her combat prowess, so when Mikasa vouched for him, he readily accepted Armin into his squad.

As they approached the infiltration spot, he glanced across the city towards the massing Titans in the far corner. They were trying to reach the brave, or insane, soldiers who were abseiling the wall, but none were tall enough to get close. The city had mostly been emptied, with the majority of titans making their way towards the amassed human defenders on top the wall.

So far, everything was going according to plan like he knew it would, but he was careful not to feel too confident. The tricky part of the plan was still to come.

And speaking of difficult…

"I can't believe you both volunteered for this! Seriously, why would you both do something so stupid?" Eren fumed in anger as he ran.

At first, Eren had been surprised to see the two of them in the squad, but that had quickly turned to anger when one of the soldiers told him they had volunteered to keep him safe. He had been giving them the silent treatment for most of the run, so it had taken Armin by surprise when he blurted his question out.

"We want to keep you save, Eren. And we can do that best when we're together." Mikasa calmly replied, unfazed by Eren's bad mood.

That only seemed to anger him more. "Get it through your heads; I'm not your responsibility. You're not my parents, so stop treating me like a child!"

"Yeager now isn't the time to be playing house." Rico Brzenska didn't attempt to hide the annoyance in her voice as she cut past Eren. The silver-haired elite hadn't been subtle about her negative opinion of Eren, and his complaining wasn't doing anything to improve it.

"Make no mistake, more than a few of our comrades are going to die today trying to pull this off. I'm talking friends, captains, lieutenants, squaddies. Yes, they are soldiers, and they are prepared to die for humanity, but remember they are not just the faceless bodies. They have names, dreams, hopes and families. Their blood will be on your hands, so at least do them the honour of acting like a soldier rather than a whinging child."

"That's enough, all of you." Ian shouted over his shoulder, "We're nearly in range of the giant boulder. Rico, fire the signal flare. The rest of you prepare to jump."

Eren gritted his teeth as he jumped off the wall. They didn't understand. He was a soldier, he had trained long and hard so he could kill titans and avenge his mother, yet they kept trying to hold him back. Why were they so willing to fight, yet wouldn't let him do the same?

This was his dream, his goal. He had been the one who wanted to join the military, and they had followed him. They hadn't tried to stop him then, so why are they trying to do it now?!

'_No.' _he thought to himself as he flew around spires and under skywalks, scrapping along the cobbled road. _'I'm going to do this. I will move that boulder, I will save this city, and I will Kill. All. Titans!'_

He bites down, hard, on his hand, splitting skin and drawing blood.

A ball of energy appears in front of the boulder, emitting a deafening piercing sound as it whips up a cloud of dust and debris. Eren was gone, and in his place stood a new creature, one of immense strength and power, one that would soon come to symbolise hope for humanity within the walls.

The Attack Titan.

* * *

Mikasa landed behind Eren a few moments later, as the rest of the squad touched down on the numerous buildings surrounding the boulder. She was fully prepared for Eren to lose control and throw a punch at her and had stationed herself behind him again for that very reason.

Armin had tried to talk her out of it, but if Eren killed a soldier, or even seriously injured one, he would either be immediately killed by the others or handed over to the MPs for execution once Trost had been secured. She was the fastest and strongest soldier here, and with her healing ability, she wasn't worried about being injured. It was better if Eren tried to attack her and fail than successfully attacking someone else.

Mikasa tensed slightly as Eren's turned, staring at her with those piercing emerald eyes. Her own eyes narrowed in response as she saw the muscles in his arm tightening as he prepared to swing at her. She leapt to the side and rolled out of the way as his fist came crashing into the roof, chunks of masonry and tiles were sent flying in every direction, as the other soldiers cried out in horror.

A piece of tile caught her across the face, slicing a deep cut across her cheek. Letting out a hiss of pain, Mikasa clamped a hand over the wound, hiding the mark from anyone who might see. She could already feel the wisps of steam rising from it as the flesh quickly stitched itself back together.

She didn't have time to contemplate the usefulness of her new healing factor fully, as Eren reared back for another strike.

Flipping over the second punch, which shattered a nearby chimney, she fired her grappling hooks directly into Eren's forehead and reeled herself in, landing on his face. She was slightly surprised to find that Armin had the same idea and had beaten her there.

"Eren! Listen to me; I know you're in there." Armin looked alarmed, banging his fist against Eren's nose. He hadn't seen Eren lose control first time and had been shocked at how fast Eren had turned.

"ACKERMAN! ARLERT! STAND DOWN! NOW! GET AWAY FROM HIM, THAT'S AN ORDER!" Captain Ian screamed at them from the roof.

"This isn't you Eren. You need to fight; you need to take control!"

Mikasa could see Eren's healing hand clench into a fist, ready to strike. She got ready to grab Armin and dive off if Eren tried to punch them again.

"Remember when we were kids? All we wanted to do was see the outside world; fields of ice and sand, mountains the pierced the heavens, vast jungles and the ocean, that vast salt-filled ocean. We promised each other we would see it together, don't you remember Eren, all three of us promised."

Eren's arm seemed to freeze as his clenched hand shook. It looked like it was trying to move but was being held down by some unseen force. Mikasa dared to look away from the potential lethal fist into those bright green eyes. Something seemed to shift in those swirling pools of green.

"I don't know if you gave up on that dream Eren, I don't know if we could achieve it, but I know one thing. That we will never give up on you Eren, that even in the darkest times we won't abandon you."

"So please Eren… just come back to us." The last line came out as a whisper, something only the three of them could hear.

The yelling of the other troops faded out as they both stared into the titanic eyes of their friend, silently hoping he could hear them.

Slowly, as if it were moving through quicksand, the frozen arm lowered itself and came to rest at Eren's side.

Mikasa let out a small sigh of relief, as the predatory look in his eyes disappears and is replaced by something more conscious and controlled. The low rumbling growl from Eren's throat sounded like a mixture of an apology and a reassurance that he was now in control.

"It's alright Eren, I'm fine, I promise. But this isn't over yet; we still have a mission to complete." She spoke softly to reassure him, not wanting him to be distracted for what comes next.

Eren growls again as he nods his giant head. The two of them jumped off his face, landing in front of the dumbfounded elite garrison squad, as Eren turns and ever so slowly lifts the boulder.

There was an ancient tale that existed within the folklore of the walls. A legend past down from one generation to the next around the cooling embers of a campfire. A story about a great Titan which held up the world, carrying it on its giant shoulders.

No one truly believed it, of course, thinking it was merely a tale to teach young children some forgotten lesson. Everyone knew (or hoped) that there was no Titan large enough to hold up the world, not even the Colossal, and before today Titans had only ever hunted Humanity, not helped it by literally holding up their world.

Yet as the stunned soldiers watched Eren picking up that enormous rock, steaming pouring from his body as his muscles bulged, tightened and tore under the weight, more than a few of them started to wonder if maybe there was some truth in that old tale.

To them, he looked just like that mythical Titan.

* * *

The entire world seemed to shake with every step he took; glass shatters and the cobbled stones were crushed to dust under his feet. It takes everything he has to keep the boulder steady.

One wrong move, one misplaced step and he will fall, and the boulder will squish him like a bug under a boot.

Everything comes through to him as a strange haze; he's not entirely sure where he is or even what he is. All Eren knows is that he has to keep moving forward, that he has to reach the breach.

Left foot.

He sees small things darting back and forth in front of him, killing the bigger things. He watches as the bigger ones fall, steaming and dissolving. He watches as some of the little things are grabbed, eaten or smacked out of the air in a puff of red mist. That makes him angry.

Right foot.

There's a flash of yellow, as another little thing flies past him, slicing the neck of a creature that had been charging towards him. He doesn't know why, but the yellow thing seems oddly familiar to him.

Left foot.

He feels like he's about to buckle under the weight. The size of the boulder is causing his muscles to tear and his bones to crack and snap under the pressure. But he keeps moving.

Right foot.

He can see the hole; it is right in front of him now. He hears someone yelling but can't make out what's they said. But it doesn't matter; he knows what he has to do.

With one final defiant roar, he lifts the boulder of his back and slams it into the breach with all the strength he can muster. It cracks the surrounding stone, but he pushes harder, determined to wedge it in the hole so it can never be opened again.

When the beams of sunlight passing through the hole can no longer be seen he slumps to his knees; his body a steaming ruin of torn muscle and shredded skin and his vision was starting to spin and fade, but he had done it. He had sealed the hole.

Eren had already passed out when a yellow flare is fired into the sky. The signal that their first-ever victory over the Titans had been achieved, that humanity had reclaimed Trost. The cheering of the jubilant soldiers almost drowned out the booms of the cannons which started to blast the massed Titan horde apart.

Some fell to their knees crying in relief or happiness; some pulled friends, lovers or even complete strangers into bone-crushing hugs, but most just yelled and cheered to the heavens until their throats were dry and raw.

Eren experienced none of that as his semi-comatose body was being pulled out of his ruined titan. The amount of hot steam pouring from the nape should have made it incredibly painful for Armin to pull him out, and as he pulled strips of connector flesh, his unbandaged hand started to blister and burn. But compared to what he went through fighting Bertholdt this wasn't too bad.

Mikasa lands next to them and helps him by careful cutting through the meat encasing Erens arms.

"Get him up the wall Armin. I'll deal with those two." She pointed at the two titans stumbling towards them, hoping to catch them from behind.

Before either of them could move, one of the titans fell down dead. Its nape split open like an overripe orange. The other soon followed, cut down by a flash of green and black. It fell on the body of the other with a sickening crunch.

A man landed on top of the pile, looking over the city. The titan blood on his blades slowly evaporating away, as his green cape, emblazoned with the wings of freedom, fluttered gently in the wind. The man was short, standing only a few inches taller than Armin, but as he stood there on the corpses of two giant titans, he looked like some legendary God of War.

"Alright, you three. This is the part when you explain to me exactly what I am looking at." Demanded Captain Levi; commander of the special operation squad and humanity's strongest soldier.


	12. Tribulations

With Trost finally secured and the eradication of the trapped Titans firmly underway, the focus of the military was once again directed towards Eren.

By now a contingent of MPs had arrived and was already making threats and demands for Eren's immediate execution. Fortunately, Commander Pixis intervened and informed the MPs that Eren would not be executed like some common criminal. He was the only reason humanity had retaken Trost, and as such, he at least deserved a fair trial to determine his fate.

After some back-and-forthing the MPs relented; and along with several scouts and garrison troops 'arrested' Eren's still unconscious body and bundled him off to a prison cell with the Hermina district within Wall Sina to await his trial.

Both Armin and Mikasa had been told by the MPs to await their court summons, as they were now considered key eyewitnesses of this 'crime'. Armin had been concentrating too hard on not rolling his eyes at the arrogant MP, that he had missed Commander Erwin having a private discussion with Pixis.

When the MP eventually dismissed them, he also missed the Commander's eyes flickering towards him then back to the smiling Pixis, with a pensive look on his face.

* * *

The sun was starting to set when the cannons finally stopped firing. It had taken several hours of constant bombardment to thin down the horde enough to allow the scouts to finish off the stragglers, but they had done it. Trost was now fully secured and titan free.

An extensive clean-up operation would be required before human habitation could resume; bodies and severed limbs needed to be identified and buried, fire-ravaged ruins needed to be pulled down and homes had to be rebuilt. But for now, with the last beams of light slowly sinking behind wall Rose, it was decided that the battle-weary soldiers needed to rest and recuperate before anything such an operation could begin.

With the influx of troops around Trost, the local barracks didn't have the capacity to houses everyone, so the military temporarily requisitioned hundreds of abandoned homes in and around the district so their exhausted forces would have somewhere to sleep for the night.

The 104th training corp (those that still lived or weren't stuck in a hospital bed anyway) had been assigned to a block of houses just inside Wall Rose, just in sight of the Trost outer gate.

There were so many missing faces, people he had once again befriended and once again lost; Nack, Franz, Tom, Ruth, and dozens more. All killed in a battle that should have never happened.

Not even the sight of additional survivors made him feel any better; Mina's petite body shook like a leaf in the wind, only Thomas's supportive arm around her shoulder stopped her from collapsing, and Hannah…

Hannah just looked broken; her posture was slumped and defeated, and the light had completely left her eyes; leaving them dull, hollow and unfocused. Armin hadn't heard her make a single sound in hours; her shallow breathing was the only sign she was still alive. The bowl of broth in front of her was untouched and long since gone cold, and he doubted she even knew it was in front of her.

He wondered if saving someone counts if they are left broken and dead inside?

No longer able to take the pain of seeing all his comrades traumatised faces, he left his own barely touched meal and retreated to his room.

It was modestly sized, larger than his old bedroom when he lived with his Grandpa, with two beds push against the side walls. From the general décor, and the occasional toys lying around, he guessed this room belonged to two girls; siblings or twins, likely no older than 12 years old. He hoped they made it out and were safe.

The adrenaline which had been continually coursing through his body had started to fade, and the tiredness and pain it had been pushing away came flooding back. He let out a pained groan as he gingerly sat on one of the beds.

Slowly he untied his combat boots and slipped them off, before taking his cadet jacket off and dropping it on the floor. He looked down and grimaced, an entire day of intense combat had taken its toll on his once-white undershirt.

Blood, tears, soot and sweat had left it filthy and stained. He may not be as obsessed with cleanliness like Captain Levi, but he decided this shirt was definitely beyond saving and would be binned as soon as possible.

He finally got a good look at his arms and frowned. His right hand and forearm were still wrapped in Mikasa's scarf, but the rest of his exposed skin was covered in scrapes, cuts and bruises. In his four years as the Colossal titan, he had nearly forgotten the constant small injuries they usually acquired in the field. He was almost expecting to see wisps of steam seeping from the cuts as they slowly stitched together.

He partially rolled up the soiled undershirt, to check if his torso was as bad as his arms. All he found was more cuts and more bruises, nothing too deep or severe but painful none the less. The occasional sharp stabs of pain when he breathed was a good indication he had bruised ribs, which could take weeks to heal fully.

He was fortunate he wasn't more seriously injured since he had been thrown around in a back alley by a titan. The fact nothing was broken was nothing short of miraculous.

Armin was tired, and in pain, so all he wanted to do was lay down, close his eyes and fall asleep. So, it really shouldn't have surprised him when someone knocked on the door, because apparently, his luck is just that bad. He let out a long sigh and told whoever it was to come in.

The door was pushed open, and two people quickly slipped inside.

Armin quickly rolled down his undershirt as Historia and Mikasa entered the room; not out of privacy or embarrassment (he had seen all his comrades in various stages of undress before, and they'd seen him. Privacy was a luxury the military didn't provide.) but simply because he didn't want more fuss about his injuries.

Mikasa was holding a small roll of medical bandages and a pair of scissors, "I found these in the bathroom," she stated as she sat next to him. "Pass me your hand."

He didn't argue as he held out his scarf covered arm and let Mikasa diligently go about rebandaging his wounded hand.

If Historia noticed the scarf, she didn't mention anything as she graceful sat on the spare bed, facing the duo.

"How did this happen, Armin? I thought we had more time." The secret royal looked drained and slightly disgruntled as she wrung her hands together.

He shook his head, "I don't know Historia, I just don't know. We must have done something to make Shadis take us to Trost."

"How can we change things if all it does it cause more problems?" she sounded frustrated, and Armin didn't blame her. What use were memories of the future, if they couldn't act on them?

"That just a risk we must be willing to take. We change what we can to prepare ourselves for the future, and perform damage control for things we can't. It's not a great plan, but it's better than doing nothing."

Historia uttered a curse under her breath, surprising Armin. He had never heard the seemingly angelic blond swear before.

"I really thought this would be easier… So, what do we do now?" she muttered.

"Our immediate concern has to be the trial. Even if everything goes the same as before, which we can't assume, and Eren is handed over to the survey corp, we might be stuck as cadets if we are not permitted early graduation. While that might give us some openings to deal with the traitors, it would also give them more chances to target Eren without risking their identities being revealed."

"So that's our best worst-case scenario. Eren in the scouts and us stuck as cadets? Can we work with that?"

"We will make it work." Having neatly rebound Armin's hand with a proper bandage, Mikasa had finally entered the conversation. "The biggest threats to Eren is his recklessness and the traitors. We can't do much about the first without constantly being at his side, but we can deal with Reiner and Bertholdt. So that what we should focus on, regardless of whether we graduate early or not."

She may have been blunter than Armin had been expecting, but she was right. They couldn't constantly babysit Eren and deal with the hidden threats. If that situation occurs, they will have to trust the scouts to keep Eren safe for them. He gave Mikasa a small smile and nodded his head in agreement. "We have to prioritise, and the long-term safety of Paradise must be paramount."

Historia looked back and forth at the pair; her curiosity peaked by their words. "You two seem… _different_. Something has changed between you two."

The duo looked at each other with confusion, wondering what Historia was getting at. When they looked back at the blond girl, Mikasa asked her "What do you mean?"

"Well, the last time I saw you two before all_ this_ happened, was before you went to Marley to retrieve Eren and Zeke. I know it's been a while since then, but it's still quite noticeable."

She ran a hand through her long hair, debating how to explain what she wanted to say politely.

"Well, I don't mean to be rude Mikasa, but you use to be quite… _attached_ to Eren. In fact, both of you were, so it's surprising that you're not focusing on directly defending him. What changed?"

The temperature in the room seemed to drop a few degrees, and a stony silence followed. It left Historia with a distinct feeling she had crossed some invisible line and broken a taboo.

"Historia don't. It doesn't…" Armin started to speak, wanting to avoid dredging up such painful memories.

"Eren killed children." Mikasa's voice was cold and hard, which sent a shiver up Historia's spine. "During the festival in Liberio, he transformed in the basement of a building and dived into the stands holding the Marleyan army officers, which sent rubble flying into the crowds. Crowds filled with helpless civilians from all over the world; men, women, children…" She looked away, the memories of those countless bodies, crushed by wreckage or by the stampede of panicking people desperate to flee, were dragged to the forefront of her mind.

She swallowed thickly before facing back towards the shocked Historia, "When we got back, Eren was arrested by the government and separated from us. We pleaded with General Zackery to let us talk to him, to try and find out why he did what he did, but he refused. He was assassinated less than a minute later with a bomb, by a faction known as the 'Yeagerists' who believed Eren was the true leader of the Eldian race and wanted him released immediately."

"Leadership fell to Commander Pixis, but before we could even figure out what to do next, we found out that Eren had escaped from prison. We travelled to Nicolo's restaurant to question some of the Marleyans and Volunteers that worked there, to try and figure out the Yeagerists intensions. When we arrived, we discovered the two kids who snuck aboard our airship and shot Sasha and uncovered the Yeagerists plan. They had spiked bottles of expensive wine with Zeke's spinal fluid and given it to most of our senior officers, who could now be turned into mindless titans whenever Zeke wanted."

"Before we could even fully comprehend the sheer scale of this disaster, Eren turned up…" Mikasa's hand clenched into a fist, as her voice tapered out. Without thinking, Armin placed his hand over hers, looking at her with concern. Slowly, Mikasa relented and interlaced her fingers with his and squeezed his hand.

"He told us to sit down and keep our hands on the table. We asked him what he was thinking; why he attacked Marley on his own, why he broke out of prison, and if Zeke and Yelena were manipulating him. He denied it and turned on Armin, telling him that the Colossal Titan was controlling him and that he was the one working for the enemy. Then he told us about my family bloodline and its history, that we were 'experiments' created to protect the Kings and Queens of the old Eldian empire."

"He told me the only reason I cared for him was because of this. That Ackerman's imprint on certain people who we class as 'hosts', and that forces us to defend them. I told him that wasn't true, that I cared about him because he saved me, not because of some '_bond'_ I didn't have a choice about. But then he told us about the headaches I experienced, that they were side effects of me subconsciously fighting this bond."

Armin took over, seeing the pain in her eyes intensifying with every word she spoke. "Because of this bond, Eren claimed Mikasa was no better than cattle, that she was a slave with no free will, and finally he told us he always hated her because of it. I was so angry at him; I couldn't believe he said such horrible things. I just saw red and punched him across the face."

He skipped over the bit about Mikasa reactively slamming him down on the table, he didn't hold it against her, and it didn't need to be brought up. "But I was never a fighter, so it wasn't long before Eren got the better of me, and we were arrested by his followers. We were taken to a prison cell in Shiganshina and the next thing we know we woke up back in bootcamp."

Historia's mouth was agape, and she looked utterly horrified. "My Gods… I'm so sorry; I didn't know."

"No, you wouldn't. It's not something we like to talk about for obvious reasons."

Historia was busy trying to digest everything she had just heard. She may have been the Queen, but living on her farm had kept her isolated from the rest of the walls. She had heard that Liberio had been attacked and that Eren had been jailed when they returned, but that was it. Everything else was news to her, and it horrified her.

The last few times she had seen Eren before her return, he had been kind and considerate. He stood up for her against the rest of the government and Hizuru when they wanted her to inherit the Beast Titan. He had refused Zeke's plan outright.

That was the Eren she knew, the Eren she had fought alongside with in the scouts. The man who would stand up for his friends no matter what.

Yet now she had been told that Eren had brutalised his closest friends, slaughtered civilians and led a coup using tainted wine and bombs. It made her feel physically sick.

"Wuh…" she tried to speak but found she couldn't get the words out.

Armin looked miserable when he spoke, "Why?". She nodded, not trusting her own voice.

"We don't know; it might have something to do with him holding multiple titans for so long. If what he told us about the influence of previous shifters was true, then for nearly nine years Eren had a constant war in his head between the Founding Titan, and the memories of the Karl Fritz who wanted all Eldians to be exterminated, and the Attack titan who wanted to free them."

"And between that endless mental battle, Zeke's manipulations and the stress of our situation, Eren may have lost control of his own mind." Historia breathed out, noticeably paling as she realised what Armin was suggesting.

"There must be some way to stop that?!" she practically shouted out.

"That's what we are doing now. By dealing with the traitors in the shadows and seizing their powers, we can relieve the pressure on Eren; it will give us a position of strength when negotiating with other powers and, between the three of us, we won't go into the future blind and naïve. We won't let Hizuru take advantage of us, and we won't let Marley build up a global coalition against us."

Historia abruptly stood up, more determined than ever before. "I'm going to find Ymir. I'm going to tell her that if we graduate that I'm joining the scouts, and I promise you I will convince her to join us. Together, all of us, we will save him."

"Thank you, Historia." Mikasa gave her a tiny smile, offsetting the pained look in her eyes at reliving such raw memories. Historia noticed she was still lightly squeezing Armin's hand as he rubbed his thumb in a small circle on the back of her hand. She smiled back at the girl before pulling the two of them into a quick hug; the two of them were so close, and she hoped that one day Ymir and she could be like that.

She had realised that in her last life she had taken Ymir for granted, not knowing what the tall, freckled girl had meant to her until she was gone. She wouldn't make the same mistake this time, and she openly reciprocated Ymir feelings rather than brushing them off with a small blush. She knew some people would never approve of their relationship; the church of the walls would hate it, they preached enough about it being 'unnatural and sinful', but most people wouldn't care.

With resources being stretched so thin after the fall of Wall Maria, they weren't going to complain if people like her and Ymir were together. After all, they couldn't have children, which meant there would be fewer people needing those limited supplies.

But ultimately, she didn't care what others thought. She loved Ymir, and nothing on this Earth would change that, not the titans, nor the church.

Armin watched as Historia left the room, leaving the two of them in comfortable silence. Subconsciously he continued to rub small circles on Mikasa's hand as they both thought about that day once more. It had been difficult and unpleasant, but deep down, he was glad they had told Historia; it had been a dark cloud hanging over them that seeped deep into their minds. He didn't know if talking about it would stop the frequent nightmares they both had about that conversation, but it made him feel a tiny bit better.

"I never thanked you for that." Mikasa uttered from his side, still staring at where Historia had been sitting.

"What for?" he asked, turning his head to look at her.

"For defending me."

"You don't need to thank me for that. It's the least I could have done for you."

She moved her spare hand to Armin's face and tucked a strand of blond hair behind his ear. "I like your long hair. Do you think you'll keep it?"

He smiled, glad to move on to a more comfortable conversation. "I think so. It makes me look younger, but it does keep my ears warm."

Mikasa let out a quick laugh, and Armin felt his heart soar. She had such a beautiful laugh, and it was so rare to hear it. He hoped someday she would laugh more often, and he hoped he would be there to hear it.

She leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder, leaving them once more in companionable silence. There was no way of telling how long they stayed like that; the sun had long since set and only the slowly melting candle was the only way for them to tell. As the candlelight started to flicker and fade, footsteps could be heard outside the door as the other cadets started going to bed.

Mikasa pulled her head off his shoulder, looking towards the door separating them from the others. "I should go, we'll have to be up early tomorrow, and both of us need sleep."

For a brief, mad moment Armin wanted her to stay. This room had a spare bed, and they had slept in the same room many times before both as children and during their time in the military, but this was different. Those times had all been due to necessity; either for strength in numbers when they lived on the landfill after Wall Maria fell or during an operation where space was limited.

None of those issues were present now, so there was no reason for Mikasa to stay; she had her own room and bed to sleep in, and neither of them was in any immediate danger.

But he still didn't want to see her go.

Reluctantly he let go of Mikasa's hand so she could stand. He tried to ignore the sudden feeling of loss at the separation. "Oh, yeah, of course. Goodnight Mikasa."

"Goodnight Armin." She said as she slowly left the room.

When the door closed and he could no longer hear her retreating footsteps, he groaned and rested his head in his bandaged hand.

'_What is happening to me?'_

* * *

Several Hours Later

Mikasa laid on the bed, staring at the ceiling. She could hear muffled sobbing and whimpering from the other cadets passing through the thin walls of her room. It was to be expected, of course, as many had lost friends or loved ones. They had seen them torn limb from limb, crushed like grapes in a titan's hand or simply swallowed whole, as they screamed for help.

Even she had been badly shaken after her first battle with the titans; she had woken up in the middle of the night, sweating and dry-heaving, having to fight back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. Now she would have to listen to the other cadets go through the same horrible nightmares again.

There was a sudden scream as someone had cried out a name, their voice thick with grief. It wasn't the first name yelled out this night, and it wouldn't be the last.

She rolled onto her side and tugged up her scarf, so it covered her mouth. She had quickly washed it after leaving Armin's room to clean off the dried blood, but it still smelt like him. It was… soothing.

She ignored the sounds of fear and grief and instead focused on that smell. It, like the boy himself, was comforting; it brought a semblance of tranquillity to her troubled mind. As the sounds started to fade into the background and were pushed out of her mind, Mikasa allowed her eyelids to droop and slowly drifted off to sleep.

For the first time in as long as she could remember, she had peaceful dreams. Dreams of a place with no war and no titans. A place where enemies didn't surround them on every front, and they could live free, where families could be rebuilt and raised anew.

A place which for the first time was filled with blond and blue, rather than brown and green.


	13. And Trials

The Royal Courts of Justice was one of the oldest and most grandiose buildings inside the three walls, second only to the royal palace itself. White marble statues of blindfolded angels holding up gold scales adorned its magnificent façade, the representation of the blind justice that all who enter such a place hope to find.

Countless rulings and defining moments had come from within the court's elegant hallways, and ornate courtrooms; The signing of the charter of humanity, the formation of the survey corp as the third military arm, passing the emergency powers act after the fall of Wall Maria. And today it would decide the fate of Eren Yeager.

It was already being called the trial of the decade by both the press and the people; the sentencing of a boy who turned into a titan and saved Trost. It sounded like something you would hear from the mouth of a drunkard or a street wandering lunatic, yet the sheer numbers of soldiers now filling the capital added a great deal of validity to these bizarre stories.

Despite it supposedly being a closed military tribunal, the courtroom was packed. Nobles, Army officers, wealthy merchants and senior religious figures filled the stands to bursting. All of them wanted to see this mysterious titan boy and find out what will happen to him.

"Silence in the court! The trial is about to begin." The court crier boomed out, hushing the cacophony of voices from all the spectators. An eerie silence followed as hundreds of heads turned towards the courtroom doors, waiting for the accused to enter.

They didn't have to wait long, as only moments later the doors were pushed open and a nervous-looking boy was pushed through them, flanked on both sides by armed MPs. Judgmental eyes followed the boy as he was forced to kneel before the bench and pinned in place by a large metal rod.

"All rise for Premier Zachary, Supreme Commander of the armed forces." The crier once again shouted, as the man in question stepped through a private door and sat down in the chair of judgement in front of the court.

Zachary rolled up his sleeves as he glanced at a piece of paper, before turning to look at Eren.

"Alright, shall we begin? Your name is Eren Yeager, a trainee in the 104th southern cadet corp, is that correct?"

A bead of sweat passed across the pinned boy's brow, a sign of his fraying nerves. "Yes." His voice was barely louder than a whisper, but it carried across the silent room. "Yes, sir."

"Given the extraordinary circumstance in which you find yourself here, and as an enlisted trainee in a time of war, military doctrine will apply, and this tribunal will be held as a court-martial. As such your right to trial by a jury of peers has been suspended and I, as overall commander of our armed forces, will have full decision-making authority in this case and whether you live or die. Do you have any objections?"

Eren broke eye contact with the Premier, looking down as the seriousness of this case truly dawned on him.

"No, sir."

A small murmur broke out amongst the crowd; clearly some had been expecting some protest or outburst from the titan boy at hearing his rights were being suspended.

"Your astuteness is appreciated. Let us proceed; due to the nature and the situation surrounding your _ability_, concealing your existing has proven impossible. And unless your existence and subsequent fate is publicly disclosed, we run the risk of widespread civil unrest. Therefore, it falls to me to decide which regiment should take custody of you: The Military Police or the Scouting Regiment."

"We shall start with the case from the Military Police."

"Thank you, Sir. My name is Nile Dawk, Commander of the Military Police, we recommend that after a thorough examination of his physiology, the subject should be disposed of immediately. We recognise that his ability played a part in the successful counter-attack at Trost, but as has already been stated, his mere existence has stirred unrest all across the walls. For the greater good of all of humanity, after we have extracted all the useful information he can provide, he should be made into a fallen warrior of humanity."

"Unacceptable!" a tall man, wearing silk robes and adorned with golden chains had screeched out. He was pastor Nick, a high standing member of the Order of the Walls, a religious cult which has rapidly swelled both in its number of followers and political influence since Maria fell.

His fellow order members described him as being the most devout of them, unwavering in his belief in the holy walls. Others would label him as an unbending religious extremist, who cared more about the three walls than the people they protect.

"This vile demon has defiled and infiltrated the mighty walls; he means to bring death and destruction upon all of us. He should be killed at once!" The man had gone red in the face as he ranted and raved.

"Pastor Nick. Please remain quiet, or I will have you removed; this is a courtroom, not a church." Zachary deadpanned at the man, somewhat irritated at the interruption. The priest grunted and growled but wisely silenced himself, Nick knew where the real power laid in this room, and it certainly wasn't him.

"Good. Now, let us hear from the Scouting Regiment."

"Yes, Sir. As Commander of the survey corp I, Erwin Smith, propose the following; Let Eren join our ranks as a full member of the scouts, where we shall utilise his ability to retake Wall Maria."

More mumbling broke out at the incredibly brief proposal. This time, however, Zachary joined them in expressing his confusion.

"Hmm? Is that it?"

"Yes, Sir. With his assistance, I am certain we can reclaim Wall Maria. Ergo, I believe it is clear what our top priority must be, any threat Eren proposes is vastly overshadowed by the benefits he can provide to humanity."

"A bold claim Commander. Tell me, if Eren was assigned to the scouts, where would you launch this reclamation mission from? The report from Commander Pixis is clear that the outer Trost gate is completely sealed and is unlikely ever to be opened again."

"We would launch the expedition from Calaneth District in the east. From there we would make our way to Shiganshina, a new route can be established as we proceed."

This time it was a merchant who interrupted the court rather than a priest. "That's ridiculous! Our time and money would be better spent sealing up all the gates. Those are the only parts of the wall the Colossal Titan can break! Let's reinforce the blasted things and wash our hands of the entire affair!"

Another voice shouted across the court, "Shut your mouth, you spineless merchant dog! With a titan on our side, we can return to Wall Maria!"

"Bah! Maria is lost, we can't afford any more of your childish heroics. Let us save what we currently have, rather than wasting money and resources in the vain attempt to retake the wall."

Several more people shot to their feet, preparing to add their own opinion into the mix, but a new voice beat them to the punch.

"You've got a big mouth, pig. Do you think the titans will stand idly by while we block up all the gates?" Humanity's strongest, Captain Levi, looked at the merchant as if he was dirt on his shoes.

"And when you say, 'we can't afford', do you speak for anyone other than your fat, wealthy friends? Do you pigs even realise that most of humanity outside of the capital and Sina are struggling to survive off what little land we have left?"

Although the small captain being halfway across the room, the merchant took a step back in fear. "I… I'm simply saying that filling the gates are the only guaranteed protection we've got!"

Despite the man technically supporting the MPs and Pastor Nick stance; the cultist could no longer stop himself from turning on the man.

"Hold your tongue, heretic! Are you suggesting that we lowly humans meddle with Wall Rose, a gift to us from the Gods themselves?" the dirty looks sent his way the by a group of Garrison soldiers went unseen. "The walls are a divine miracle, that transcends human understanding!"

Zachary slammed his hand against the wooden desk in front of him, cutting off the escalating argument between the two men. "Order! This is not the place for you to debate personal sentiments. Pastor Nick, I will not ask you again, remain silent, or I will have you and your fellows removed from this courtroom."

"Now then Mr Yeager, I have a question for you. As a cadet, you knew of the solemn pledge you would be asked to make upon your graduation to defending humanity. I ask you now, can you still make this oath to us by controlling your ability?"

Eren was too eager to be able to defend himself finally, that he didn't notice the trap he was about to walk into. Armin suppressed a groan, knowing what would come next.

"Yes, I can, Sir!"

"Oh, Is that so? This report from the battle of Trost contradicts your statement. Just after transforming you swung your fists at Mikasa Ackerman, a fellow cadet, twice."

Eren's head snapped towards the girl in question, who stood stoically between Rico Brzenska and Armin, her face devoid of any emotion.

"Is Mikasa Ackerman present?" it was a semi-rhetorical question, he already knew she was here, after all, she was a key eye-witness. She had been personally escorted to the capital by a squad of MPs at his own request.

She turned her head and gave Zachary a piercing gaze. "Yes, Sir." she said blandly.

"You, huh?" he replied after a moments pause, taken aback by her uncommon Asian features.

"Is it true that Eren Yeager assaulted you when he was in titan form?"

"Strictly speaking, no, Sir. Assault would imply some form of injury was acquired from the incident, but that was not that case. Eren missed both times and Cadet Arlert and I were able to quickly bring him back under control and complete our mission to reclaim Trost, with no further incident. A mission that without Eren would have been impossible." She continued to stare at Zachary, almost daring him to question her words.

"Eren was forced by the military to use a power no one understands, in a live combat area with minimal preparation and no backup plan. We placed everything on his shoulders, all of humanity's hope, and asked him to save Trost. Yet despite this, he did his part. He served humanity as any good soldier should, and if that's an executional offence, then there are thousands of other troopers you'll have to kill as well."

"Objection!" Nile spoke up, forcing the Premier to break eye contact and look to the MP.

"We have reasons to believe that personal feelings play a large part in her testimony, let the records show that Mikasa Ackerman lost her parents at a young age and was taken in by the Yeager family. What's more, our own investigation into this matter led to a shocking discovery. At the tender age of nine, Eren Yeager and Mikasa Ackerman killed three bandits in the forest by Shiganshina…"

"Objection! Irreverent to the trial." This time it was Armin who spoke up, cutting off the MP without a second thought. "Nothing in Mikasa testimony could have been influenced by emotional sentiment. Every word she spoke was the truth and can be cross-verified by every member of the escort squad, myself included. We had minimal time to prepare, even though Eren was still disorientated from his previous transformation. Mikasa wasn't injured in any way during the incident and Eren was quickly brought back under control."

Nile looked like he had bitten into something sour; his inflated ego didn't handle being interrupted by a mere cadet very well. He glared at Armin with anger, which was returned with a cold stare.

Maybe younger Armin would have backed down, but he wasn't young anymore. He was still a scout at heart, so he refused out of principle to be intimidated by an MP, even if they were the Commander of the entire regiment.

"Commander Dawk is trying to use a closed case of self-defence, brought about because of his regiment's failure to deal with banditry and other crimes outside Wall Sina, to manipulate the perception of a key witness as to distract this court from her testimony. It is as petty as it is brazen, as it has no place in a court of law, even in a military tribunal."

"But I suppose corruption is such an integral part of the Military Police, so the moral corruption of its leadership shouldn't be surprising."

At that, the MP commander exploded, gripping the barrier as if preparing to leap over it. "Listen here you little shit! I am the commander of the Military Police, and I will not be talked down to by some jumped up little cun…"

"COMMANDER DAWKS! Compose yourself at once." Zachary bellowed down from his seat at the seething MP.

The corners of Armin's mouth twitched as he stared at the red-faced commander. Targeting the MP had been a risky move, but it had been far more successful than he could have ever anticipated. What support Nile's proposition had, both with Zachary and the crowd started to collapse at the sight of a senior officer basically throwing a fit at a cadet.

When the red mist left Nile, it dawned on him too. In one move he had undermined both his own case and his personal standing with the Premier. He had made a fool of himself in a very public place and wouldn't be able to pass it off on a scapegoat like he usually would.

His eye twitched as he saw the tiniest of smirks appear on the blond cadet's face and realised had been played. Completely and utterly played.

He ground his teeth together as he stepped back from the railing, his nails digging into the palm of his hand. "My apologies Premier, that was… unprofessional."

Looking back at the boy who had made him dance like a puppet, he was uncomfortably reminded of Erwin. They acted and spoke in a similar manner; composed and steadfast, not reacting in the slightest to his outburst. They had both gotten under his skin with disturbing ease, making him look the fool. Hell, with that thick blond hair they even looked similar.

He wondered if they were related in some way; a cousin or nephew, perhaps even a secretive son. He shivered slightly at that thought and could practically feel his hair starting to turn grey because if it.

"Cadet, what is your name?" Zachary turned towards the Armin.

"Armin Arlert, Sir."

"Well Cadet Arlert, I would tell you not to interrupt these proceedings but seeing as you are our second key witness, that would be counter-productive. However, I will remind you that in future to treat senior officers with the respect they deserve."

There was a slight flicker of humour within the Premier's eyes. He was scolding Armin purely because there were civilians present, rather than to defend Dawk's authority. The regiment's corruption was an open secret within the walls, and it amused him to see it called out so publicly.

"Now is there anything else you wanted to add to Cadet Ackerman's testimony?"

"Only that without Eren, it is likely the majority of the 104th southern cadet corp would have been wiped out. He was crucial in retaking the armoury, which allowed us to resupply and withdraw from the city. He also personally saved my life during the battle, killing a titan which was about to crush me. I ask that these things are taken into consideration for your final decision."

Zachary pondered his words, scratching his beard as he did so.

"Consideration?! What is there to consider? That _thing_ is a titan, and you two are defending it, all three of them are traitors to humanity!" Dimo Reeves screeched out from the rear of the stands. His voice was nasally and unpleasant, curtesy of his badly broken nose which was covered with bandages and medical tape.

He pointed at Mikasa with his fat, sausage-like fingers.

"That bitch took out two men twice her age and then assaulted me during the battle, does that sound like a normal human being to you? I bet she's a monster just like him; we should dissect all three of them just to be sure!"

Mikasa sneered at the man, _'I should have just run you through with my sword, would have been a lot easier. But you are right about one thing; I am like Eren, and maybe one day I'll show you exactly how monstrous I can be_.'

Dimo's outburst had broken the seal of silence in the room, and soon countless other shouting voices filled the court; Eren was shouting in defence of his friends, proclaiming their innocence; others were shouting either in support of Reeves or against him.

The guards looked around; hands clenched tight around their rifles unsure of what to do. Captain Levi was about to vault over the barricade after he received a small nod from Erwin.

"**SILENCE!**" thundered Zachary. He had stood up, toppling his chair backwards, and slammed his fist down on the desk. He loomed over the courtroom; his face warped into a picture of wrath.

"Private Howell and Welch, remove Mr Reeves from this courtroom at once. And if there is one more interruption today, I will hold whoever's responsible in contempt of court!"

The fat man spluttered and struggled as he was dragged from the room by two burly MPs. Dimo shouted out his name as if it had more authority of the MPs than the commander in chief. Him being thrown out of the court onto the hard marble floor was the answer regarding who was more important.

When the heavy oak doors were slammed shut in the merchant's face, the court was once again left in silence. Everyone turned back to the still-standing Zachary.

"Despite frequent attempts to turn this trial into a farcical circus, I have made my decision."

"Eren Yeager, your ability is as dangerous as it is valuable, and I wholehearted believe that within you resides the power to either save or destroy humanity."

"But nothing in this world would change if humanity isn't willing to take risks, in the hopes of a better tomorrow. Therefore, with the best interest of mankind at heart I assign full custody of Eren Yeager to the Scouting Regiment, where your abilities can best be utilised to serve us and, if I am wrong about you, the regiment best equipped to terminate you should you betray us."

Armin and Mikasa let out a small sigh of relief; the immediate danger was over, Eren had been assigned to the scouts and wouldn't be executed. And Captain Levi didn't even need to kick the crap out of him, although Armin reckoned Levi would have been disappointed at that if he had returned as well.

A hand rose up, its owner was hidden by a mass of military officers, but his voice was unmistakable, especially for anyone who had enlisted in the last few years. "Premier Zachary, a moment please."

Zachary had righted his chair and sat back down in it. Clearly, the voice was familiar to him as well, as he leaned forward a fraction. "The court recognises Chief Instructor Keith Shadis of the 104th Cadet Corp."

The tall man strode forward, his path clearing as officer and civilian alike moved from his path. Armin noted how he looked older than he did a week ago, his eyes appeared to have sunken even deeper into his face, and the wrinkles around his eyes and forehead had expanded. He knew why, despite the man's intimidating and frightening personality, Armin knew he cared about his cadets and losing so many in Trost must have taken a dreadful toll on him.

"Premier, I would be in remiss of my duty if I didn't remind the court that Eren Yeager is still 14 years old and has eight months left of his training before his graduation. While I recognise the exceptional circumstances surrounding this case, I must also bring up the effect this would have on Eren. While it is true that boot camp is designed to train soldiers who can operate effectively both independently and in teams, it is also an undeniable fact that even years after their training is complete soldiers will operate at a higher efficiency when working with other members of their cadet corps."

"Therefore, I believe that completely separating Eren from his fellow cadets would have serious adverse effects on his combat effectiveness and overall morale. As he is also one of the top 10, many of his comrades look up to him as a source of inspiration and motivation, and this separation would likely badly affect them as well."

"Hmm." Zachary leaned back in his chair, his hand slowly stroking his beard again. "Yes, I can see how that could cause issues. Commander Pixis, as the most senior officer present during the Battle of Trost, what is your assessment on the 104th?"

The elderly man had been quiet throughout the trial and was subtly reaching toward his flask when his name was called, despite the whispered protest from his personal aide. A flash of disappointment passed across his face as his drink would have to wait.

"I only interacted personally with three cadets from the 104th during the battle, all of which are in this room. But all three left an impression on me that I shall never forget."

"I am not ashamed to admit that the plan for the counter-attack did not come from myself or one of my officers, but instead was devised by Cadet Arlert. He was the one to suggest using Yeager's ability to move the boulder, and to bait the titans into a corner where they could be disposed of via cannon fire."

"And Cadet Ackerman is perhaps one of the deadliest soldiers I have ever seen; in a single day she has achieved a confirmed solo kill count of 20 titans and an unconfirmed count approaching 40."

The sharp intake of breath around the room was like a howling wind.

Twenty solo titan kills was something that only the most experienced scouts had ever achieved, and that number was built up over years of fighting. The only person who might accomplish such a thing in a single day was the legendary Captain Levi. For an ungraduated cadet to achieve the same feat defied belief.

"While these cadets are extraordinary, the rest of their corp is by no means incompetent. During the first phase of the battle, following the overrunning of the vanguard and the withdrawal of the rear guard, the majority of the cadets were left in the city, running low on gas and blades as the armoury had been overrun and supply lines were severed."

"Despite this, the cadets launched an impromptu and highly dangerous operation to retake the armoury. Not only did they succeed, but according to the initial debriefings, the cadets managed to take down six 3m class titans that had entered the supply room, without the use of 3DMG gear."

"In conclusion, I believe that the 104th might be one of the finest classes ever trained by humanity, and due to their involvement at Trost they are perhaps some of the most experienced soldiers we have, outside of the scouts and a portion of the garrison, in actual Titan warfare." The Garrison Commander finished with a gentle smile, privately revelling in the stir his words had caused.

Zachary raises a single eyebrow and gives the Garrison Commander an appreciative nod.

"A shining endorsement Commander Pixis, and from what I have heard and seen, it is a well-deserved one indeed. However, I do have a personal question for you Instructor Shadis. Why were the 104th in Trost that day? There was nothing in the training schedule about drills in the district."

Shadis looked shamed faced for a moment. He must believe that his decision to take the cadets to Trost and the Colossal attacking that day had just been incredibly bad luck.

If only he knew the truth.

"A few weeks ago, we had a desertion, and while dropouts aren't uncommon in the first year of training, for such thing to happen in the last year is rare. The deserter, Annie Leonhart, was on her way to becoming one of the top 10 and was the best cadet we had in hand-to-hand combat."

"I decided that the cadets needed to get a real taste of military life outside of training, as to weed out any other possible deserters. As the majority of them would likely be joining the garrison after their graduation, I decided that Trost was the best place for them to get that experience."

"I hold myself fully responsible for all of the losses suffered by the class." There was no lie in Shadis voice. The undertone of pain and loss in his words was unmissable, as he thought about his dead trainees.

"Unless you are a titan Instructor Shadis, you are not responsible for any deaths. And while the casualties taken by the 104th is deeply regrettable, it was fortunate they were present in the district on that day. Without them and cadet Yeager, it is likely the result would have been much worse for humanity."

"And in recognition of their heroic actions in Trost I, Dhalis Zachary, as overall commander of humanity's armed forces authorise the immediate graduation of 104th southern cadet corp." he banged his hand against the desk twice before standing one last time.

"Court dismissed."

* * *

Later that Day

The news of their impending graduation had spread quickly throughout the 104th, though some were still in shock from the battle and the news about Eren, most had taken it in stride as just another example of their type of luck.

They had all been withdrawn from the war-ravaged city as reconstruction teams finally arrived and had been shipped back to bootcamp, where the graduation ceremony would be held.

Sasha found herself sitting on the ground, knees tucked under her chin, back resting against one of storage shed's walls. In her hand rested a small piece of paper, filled with scribbled out words and crossed out sentences. It was supposed to be a letter to her father; they had parted on bad terms, and she hadn't spoken to him since her enlistment. She had left home after he decided to let the Marian refugees convert their forest into farms and had stubbornly refused to talk to him since.

That was a decision she now regretted terribly; she was lucky to be alive right now, and she couldn't even remember the last words she said to him.

She had wanted to write to him, to send him a letter telling him she was sorry, and that she loved him and hoped he and mum were okay. But she didn't know how to express those feelings; every apology felt hollow; every question about home only highlighted how much she had missed.

She wished Armin was here; he was smart and always seemed to know what to say. She knew if she asked, he would help her write it and do a better job of it than she could ever hope to do.

"Yo, Sasha."

She looked up from the messy letter and gave a small smile at the person who stood in front of her.

Connie held a small loaf of bread in each hand and tossed one to her as he slumped down against the wall. Strangely, Sasha didn't feel hungry, and after staring at the offering for a second, she simply placed it in her lap before looking back at the letter.

"Was dat?" he blurted out with a mouthful of bread, gesturing at the letter.

"It's a letter. To my Pa." She had told Connie about the reason for her enlistment before, and he had encouraged her to send a letter to her family, but she had refused.

"Oh." He swallowed down the bread, "Gonna tell him you fought titans and survived?"

Connie was partially right; she was going to tell her father that, but this letter was also much more than that. She had made her decision about her graduation and which regiment she was going to join. She was frightened by her decision, but she was going to stick to it.

She owed it to those who didn't make it.

This letter was going to be her apology; both for leaving and likely for not coming back.

"Well, we won't have to worry about that now, right? Ya' know, fighting titans. If we're in the top 10 we can join the MPs and live in the capital; behind two giant walls and access to all the food, we could ever want. That would be the smart thing to do." Connie said, airily.

"Yeah, that's what a clever person would do." She replied quietly, not sure how to raise her decision to join the scouts to him. Afterall she struggled enough trying to explain it to herself, let alone Connie.

"And even if we don't reach the top 10 then we can join the garrison and maybe be assigned to the northern districts. A bit chilly up there but I heard they've got hot springs and stuff. They are the safest districts outside the capital as well. That'd also be a smart thing to do." Connie scratched at the patchy stubble growing across his jawline as he spoke.

"I guess there are the scouts as well, Armin and Mikasa will definitely be joining them, but that's easily the most dangerous option. We'd have to face titans again and go beyond the wall. It might be a bit easier though since we've battled them before, and with Eren there we'd have a titan fighting for us rather than against us. It'd still be stupidly dangerous though, and there's a good chance we wouldn't make it back."

Sasha looked at the boy, who quickly avoided her gaze. Something was up with him.

"Yeah," she said slowly, "joining the scouts would be dangerous."

"Totally, my mum would smack me silly if I joined them, but I keep thinking about it. I used to think Eren was just a bit crazy with all his Titan rants, but he was right. They did attack again, and we only won because we fought back. If we beat them at Trost, maybe we can beat them again."

Connie was quiet for a moment, picking at his bread idly. She knew the boy well, and she recognised the look of deliberation on his face. He wanted to ask her something.

She felt a spark of hope flicker in her heart. Could it be?

She watched him intently, her breath caught in her throat, not even daring to breathe in case it scared him away.

"Hey, Sash… Wanna do something really stupid? Like 'joining the scouts' kind of stupid?"

She smiled and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. Her eyes watered slightly, knowing she wouldn't be alone in her madness.

"With a big idiot like you? Always."

* * *

Marco drummed his fingers on the old wooden canteen table. There was only a handful of other cadets in the mess hall; some sat with friends, but most sat alone. There were too many seats that would no longer be filled, too many faces that will never be seen again.

Jean sat in front of him, brushing a hand through his light brown hair whilst bringing a spoonful of broth to his mouth. He was putting on an act of calmness and indifference, but Marco could still see the slight shake in his hand even now.

He had heard Jean whimpering and crying out at night just like every other cadet. He couldn't understand why Jean pretended not to be affected by what he saw.

Even Reiner hadn't tried to hide his pain to the extent Jean had, the giant blond had openly allowed a few tears to fall as he watched the bodies being removed during the clean-up operation. He was like an older brother to everyone, if Reiner could show his pain, why couldn't Jean?

"Well, at least we won't have to put up with this tasteless gruel in the interior, right Marco? I heard they get beef and pork with every meal! Can you even imagine it?" Jean spoke, looking excited at the thought.

Marco took a deep breath and readied himself. It was time.

"Jean." he blurted out the name, a fraction louder than he wanted.

He took another breath before starting again, in a quieter tone. "Jean… even if I do reach the top 10, I'm not going joining the MPs. I'm signing up with the scouts."

The long-faced boy froze, staring at him as if he had grown a second head. The spoon dropped from his hand, bouncing off the table with a clang.

"YOU WHAT?!" he shouted, drawing the attention of every cadet in earshot. "Have you lost your mind, Marco?! Why in the name of the walls would you join them?"

He had run this whole conversation through his head half a dozen times. He had expected this outburst, after all for all their mutual dislike Jean was very much like Eren; both wore their emotions on the sleeve.

"I've been thinking about all the things Eren use to say and what Armin and Mikasa said on that rooftop. We had basically given up at that point, all of us sat on the roof waiting to die. But they didn't. They were in the same situation as us, yet they fought on. And they won. We won. We won because we kept fighting, even as all seemed lost."

"They have both lost their homes and families to the titans, if anyone deserved to be safe in the interior, it's them. But they're joining the scouts so they can keep fighting for humanity, for us."

"Well, of course, they think like that, they're best friends with the suicidal bastard, all three of them have a death wish. They've lost things to the titans and want revenge, but you haven't, so why would you throw away your life as well?"

"I don't want to die Jean; I don't _want_ to fight titans again. But I'm here because I wanted to become a soldier, and fighting titans is what we are trained to do."

"If you don't want to die why the hell would you join _them_?! We were lucky enough to survive Trost, anyone of those titans could have torn you in half. Why would you risk that again when you could live in the interior?" Jean sounded utterly dismayed as he tried to dissuade the freckled boy.

A wave of unexpected anger rose from deep within Marco. It was an alien and unpleasant feeling, and one he didn't fully understand.

"That's exactly the point, Jean! Four years ago, Trost was the interior. There used to be dozens of miles of habitable land in front of it, inhabited by tens of thousands of people all protected by Wall Maria. And now we are battling titans on its streets. What's to say it won't happen again, huh? What's to say that soon the 'interior' is all that's left? Humanity can't win if we don't fight back and I can't stand on the sidelines any longer." He shouted back at his friend.

He stood up, looking at Jean's stunned face at his outburst. "I'm sorry Jean, I know you wanted us to join the MPs together, but I can't, not anymore. I won't judge you if you still want to join them, but Trost is your home Jean, not mine. Remember that when it's time to decide."

With his piece said Marco walk away, not once looking back even as Jean shouted his name.

* * *

The carriage ride from the capital had been long, awkward and uncomfortable for Armin and Mikasa (the constant potholes along the rough dirt tracks hadn't been kind to their posteriors). Shadis hadn't uttered a single word for most of the journey, seemingly content to stare out the window at the slowly passing trees.

They were the vanguard of a small convoy; senior officers and representatives of all three divisions followed behind them. Each eager to see who they might gain from the storied 104th.

It was only when the outer camp fence came into view did the instructor finally decided to speak.

"You played a dangerous game today; smart-arsing the Premier and disrespecting Dawk was a ballsy move. But you did well, probably what saved Yeager from execution. Do you still intend to join him in the scouts?"

They both nodded silently.

The ex-commander of the scouts continued to look through the window, seemingly content with their answer. Neither Armin nor Mikasa expected him to speak again, but eventually, he did.

"I used to know Yeager's parents, back before he was even born. His mother was one of a kind; fiery and passionate and with the temper to match. She once scared off a squad of MPs who were harassing one of her neighbours, by yelling in their ears for nearly an hour straight."

A small smile graced his weary face as he remembered a happier time before the breach.

"Eren gets it from her, you know. His temper."

Armin and Mikasa knew this. Carla had been a second mother to both of them, and they had both been present when she had argued with a merchant or a particular drunk soldier. It may have been over a decade since they had last seen her, but both of their hearts gave a painful clench as the memories of their adoptive mother surfaced.

"His father was a lot calmer; he was a just and honest man, a doctor without equal and a rare spirit within the walls. He spoke of freedom and exploration more than the most scouts did. He was one of my closest friends."

"They both loved their son, but both had very different mindsets about him. After Eren was born, Carla once told me that he didn't need to be great, that being born into this world was enough. Grisha disagreed, however, he believed Eren would be one of those chosen people, someone great who could change the world."

"I thought about that every time I saw Yeager; every time he failed and tried again and again and again until he finally succeeded. Every time one of you two or another cadet helped and encouraged him or pushed him forwards. Even now, I don't know which parent was right."

"Eren holds a great power within him, but he is too stubborn and short-tempered for his own good. He's liable to get himself or others killed before he could do a damn thing to help humanity. He will need others beside him to keep him in control and to guide him even if he doesn't want to be."

The carriage rolled to a halt as they finally reached the camp. Slowly Shadis turned to them, any trace of his previous smile had vanished.

"There's something abnormal about the two of you; the way you act and fight like two harden war veterans, rather than a pair of green children. I've read the reports, and the two of you are mentioned nearly as much as the 'rogue titan' or whatever it is they are calling Yeager now. There's no way you learnt even half the stuff you did from here."

Shadis's steely gaze intensified on the two cadets, noting the stiffness in Mikasa posture and the slight paling of Armin's face.

"I don't know what the two of you are, or how you became like this, but frankly I don't care. Stay close to Yeager and watch his back. Maybe the three of you will succeed in changing the world, where so many others have failed before."

Without another word, Shadis pushed opened the carriage door and stepped out, leaving the two speechless cadets behind.

* * *

Several Hours Later

"When you came to me two years ago, you were all useless, naïve children who couldn't tell one end of a sword from the other." Shadis bellowed at them from the stage. Behind him stood several men; representatives and commanders from each division, each stood at silent attention.

"Some of you enlisted because you wanted to be a hero. Some of you joined to make your families proud. Others only signed on to get a better life in the capital. But why you joined was irreverent.

Over the last two years, I have done everything in my power to break you. I broke your spirits, I broke your bodies, and I tore down your hopes and dreams until all that was left was an empty shell and a blank canvas. Then I rebuilt you, from the ground up. I taught you to fly; I taught you to fight; I taught you to survive!"

"Several days ago, you were tempered in the fires of war. You faced Mankind's mortal enemy on the field of battle, and you survived. Everyone who stands here today has been changed by that experience, for better or for worse.

The losses you endure, the pain you endured and horrors you faced have changed you. Now you are no longer children, you are no longer naïve, and you are no longer useless! ALL OF YOU ARE NOW SOLDIERS WORTHY OF HUMANITY!" he roared out.

"104th, I salute you!" he did, and it was returned by the 150 surviving cadets crashing their fists against their beating hearts in near-perfect unison.

"While the top 10 is usually decided by the scores you achieved during your practical and theoretical tests, the actions of specific individuals during the battle of Trost can not be ignored. Therefore, in ascending order here are your top ten;

Sasha Blouse, for her exceptional survivalist skills and combat abilities.

Connie Springer, for his proficient usage and expert manoeuvrability with 3DM gear

Krista Lenz, for her combat proficiency and achieving a solo titan kill without the use of her gear.

Marco Bott, also for his combat proficiency and achieving a solo titan kill without the use of her gear.

Jean Kirstein, also for his expert usage of 3DM gear and the steady leadership he showed whilst under pressure.

Eren Yeager, for his actions during the battle of Trost and his steadfast determination to succeed in any circumstance.

Bertolt Hoover, for his outstanding proficiency in using 3DM gear and achieving a solo titan kill without the use of hir gear.

Reiner Braun, for his exception physically strength, combat abilities and 3DM competency. He also achieved two solo titan kills, one without the use of his gear."

Armin Arlert, for the extraordinary leadership and tactical brilliance he showed during combat and for achieving three solo titans kills and two assists.

Mikasa Ackerman, for her unmatched lethality in combat; slaying between 20 to 40 titans alone in a single engagement.

The rest of you take a look; these are the top of your class!"

The other cadets saluted at the top 10 (technically nine as Eren was not present at the ceremony, being already assigned to the scouts.) and they, in turn, saluted to the men on stage.

"As of this moment, you have three options open to you; The Garrison Regiment – responsible for defending and maintaining the Walls, the Scout Regiment – responsible for riding out and reclaiming our lost land and the Military Police – who preserve law and order in the capital and Sina Districts on behalf of his Majesty, the King." After presenting their options Shadis stepped aside, allowing Commander Dawk to take centre stage.

"As you all know, the Military Police Brigade is the primary force of law and order within our territory. Not only do we ensure peace and stability within the walls, but we also serve as the King's personal guard. To be an MP is an honour of the highest degree as we only accept the best of the best. Those cadets who are eligible have already been named and should step forward if they wish to join." He sounded bored as if he did see the need to convince the top 10 to join the MPs.

After all, who _doesn't_ want to live in the capital?

None of the nine eligible cadets moved. Jean had clenched his hand into a fist and was silently cursing to himself, _'Why?! Why do this, Marco?' _He wanted to step forward; his brain was screaming at him to move, to seize this opportunity and not look back.

But his heart refused. Marco was his friend, his best friend. Jean knew he could be arrogant and sometimes let his ego get the better of him, but he wasn't a heartless bastard. He couldn't abandon his friend, even if that meant joining the scouts. '_Walls damnit. You owe me big time for this, you freckled bastard.'_

Commander Dawk shot a look of confusion towards Shadis, not seeing the proud smile on the man's face.

"Top 10, this is a onetime offer. if you wish to join the MPs say so now." he tried again.

The atmosphere became more and more awkward as Dawk stood in front of silent cadets. The seconds dragged on until Shadis let out a small cough, drawing attention back to him.

"Well, it seems like all of the eligible cadets all have a different regiment in mind. Thank you for your time, Commander Dawk."

Nile stormed off the stage, but not before throwing a glare at Armin, as if he blamed him personally for yet another public embarrassment.

The man could take a small comfort, however in being the first MP commander in history to leave a graduation ceremony without a single new recruit. That was surely a feat worthy of remembrance…

"Moving on then… allow me to introduce you all to Erwin Smith, Commander of the Scouts."

The tall, broad-chested man stepped forward, the burning braziers behind him highlighted his stern and distinctive facial features.

"Good Evening, I am Erwin Smith, Commander of the Survey corp, also known as the Scout Regiment." His voice was smooth and firm. It carried effortlessly across the yard, so even the cadets in the back could hear him clearly.

"Today you will choose your regiment, so let's cut to the chase here. The scouts need you; it needs all the warm bodies it can get. After the recent titan incursion into Trost, all of you now know first-hand the horrors of which they are capable of, as well as the limits of your own skill. However, this battle has given Mankind a new chance for victory over the titans; I refer, of course to Eren Yeager. A cadet many of you know personally, who risked life and limb alongside you during the battle, and when the conflict was at its darkest his ability manifested itself and humanity was able to turn the tide."

"Humanity's hope now lies in him, not just for victory over the titans but to learn the very truth of their origins. Our intel indicates that in the basement of Yeager's home in Shiganshina resides great secrets regarding our enemy. As we speak an expedition to Shiganshina is already being prepared to obtain this vital information and to potentially seal the breach left by the Armoured and Colossal Titan 4 years ago."

"I will not lie to you, despite this new hope for humanity, the survey corp is the most dangerous option available to you. Over the last four years, we have occurred losses in excess of 60%. 60% in four years, those are horrifying figures. In the upcoming expedition, I estimate a loss of nearly 30% for new recruits, and within three years, most will be dead. But those of you who survive will become some of the most capable soldiers alive."

Gasps and whispered conversations could be heard from the assembled cadets; unable to hide their horror and disbelief at those figures. The top 9 remained deathly quiet.

"Now, having heard this dismal state of affairs, whoever still wishes to put their lives on the line and join us, remain here. But first ask yourself, can you give your hearts, can you give everything for humanity?"

"That is all. Those who wish to join the garrison may leave."

And with that the man simply rested his arms behind his back and stood at ease, waiting for the cadets to decide.

As expected, there was a sizable exodus as many quickly left, clearly wanting nothing to do with this seemingly Government-funded suicide pact.

Some cadets seemed to hesitate before leaving as if they had been in the midst of some fierce internal debate. None of these cadets looked relieved or happy when they walked away; in fact, most just looked disappointed in themselves.

Finally, silence fell back over the remaining cadets. Armin watched the commander closely, noticing the brief widening of his eyes, the only visible sign of surprise on his face. Still standing in front of him was nearly 25% of the surviving 104th class and all of the top 10 cadets.

Before today, the best turn up for the scouts had been the 100th cadet class, the first to graduate after the breach, when four members of the top 10 had joined.

Another record was broken that night, as Erwin Smith became the first commander in the regiment's history to get all 10.

"I ask you," Erwin began looking over those who remained, "if you were ordered to die, could you do it?"

"We don't want to die, sir!" a voice from behind shouted.

Erwin smiled, "Of course, let us hope that you don't then."

"Those who stayed, you are now one of us, allow me to welcome you to the scout regiment. This is a genuine salute soldiers, together we give our hearts!" his voice carried across the yard, as his salute was matched by 40 more.

**SHINZOU WO SASAGEYO**


	14. Second First Impressions

**AN:** So this chapter is a slightly less serious one before the story picks up again in a big, and somewhat unique way. Anyway, hope you enjoy!

* * *

If there was one thing Erwin hated about being the commander of the survey corps, except the grievous casualties his regiment suffered on a regular basis, it was the paperwork. Despite being the smallest arm of the military, it required far more paperwork than the other two.

Permission had to be asked from the central government, the garrison and Premier Zachary every time they went on an expedition. Even opening the outer gates required a folder's worth of documentation to be signed and approved in triplicate.

He suppressed a grimace at his cramping hand as he signed off yet another requisition form.

To his frustration, he couldn't even delegate part of this work to his inner circle of veterans; Levi's handwriting was utterly atrocious and barely legible on the best of days, and Hanji was…

Well, she was _Hanji_; if it weren't for Moblit's constant reminders she'd probably forget to bathe, eat or even sleep, let alone do any paperwork.

The only reliable help he had with this was his old friend, Mike Zacharias.

"So how many greenhorns are we getting today?" The heavyset blond and humanity's second strongest soldier flexed his hand as he spoke, trying to shake away the burning sensation from all the signing he had done.

"40 new recruits signed on, including the entirety of the top 10." Erwin simply replied as if it were no big deal.

Mike stopped writing and looked up from the paper. "40? You got 40 cadets to sign up after they survived Trost? Did you give them your usual speech?"

Erwin raised one of his majestic eyebrows, unaware he had a 'usual' speech. "I just told them the facts about the corp, and I don't think any of them count as greenhorns after what they've been through."

"Well you must have said something to inspire them, we didn't even get that many cadets from a single class even when Maria fell."

Erwin thought for a moment, even with the paths Eren's powers had opened for humanity, far more cadets had joined than his most optimistic expectations.

"I don't think I had anything to do with it. Most of the top 10 seemed set to join the scouts before I even spoke to them; only one of them looked hesitant to join. The cadet's inspiration came from something or someone else, and whatever it was inspired them more than Trost deterred them."

Mike gave a quick hum, "Fair enough, it's fortunate we've got a new headquarters though. Probably wouldn't have had room for everyone in the old one. Still, some of the newbies might have to double up… at least for now."

It was a grim fact of life in the scouts, that being overcapacity was never a long-term problem for them.

Erwin hadn't been exaggerating about those casualty statistics.

"So, do we have any notable cadets joining us, except Yeager of course?" Mike asked a few minutes later.

"Definitely, keep an eye out for Arlert and Ackerman, both friends of Yeager, but they distinguished themselves in Trost both as fighters and leaders. Arlert was the mastermind behind the successful counterattack and Ackerman is already shaping up to be a younger, female Levi. I look forward to seeing them both in action."

"A female Levi, huh? Hopefully, she has a less 'shitty' sense of humour." Mike snorted at his own bad joke.

Erwin just gave him a look, before pointing at another stack of paper. "Leave the toilet jokes to Levi; we've still got a lot more paperwork to do."

Mike groaned at the sight of another pile, before suddenly sitting up straight in his chair and sniffing the air several times.

"The new recruits are nearly here."

Sometimes Erwin wondered how Mike's nose even worked. They were three stories up, in an old dusty castle surrounded by rural countryside, yet he could somehow tell when a group of strangers he had never met before were approaching.

Ultimately, for his own sanity more than anything else, he simply accepts that it just does work, and instead focuses on how best to utilise the tremendous power of Mike's nose for the betterment of Humanity.

And occasional to check if the milk has gone off.

* * *

Mikasa felt a strange sensation of home come over her as the old… new… _current_ scout headquarters came into view. They hadn't lived in the HQ that long in their last life, but it had been some of the most intense, emotional and challenging times in her life.

Betrayal, injuries, persecution, revolution, death, destruction, and finally discovering the truth; about themselves and the rest of the world.

It had felt like years at the time but had only been a handful of months from the battle of Trost to retaking Shiganshina.

And through all of that, this old castle had been their home. She would never openly admit it, but she had missed it.

Someone nudged her side, drawing her out of the memories.

"You alright?" Historia asked gently, as the wagon slowly trundled onward.

"Yeah." She tugged at her scarf, slightly self-conscious at being caught reminiscing, "Just thinking."

Historia smiled knowingly and nodded toward the castle. "Impressive, isn't it?" she asked innocently, wary of the others surrounding them.

Mikasa was momentarily perturbed how quickly Historia had seen through her but pushed it aside realising she was only trying to be friendly.

"Yes. Yes, it is." She replied in a hushed tone, more to herself than to Historia.

Historia flashed her a quick smile, before turning back to chat with Ymir.

When the wagon finally came to a stop in the castle courtyard, Mikasa jumped out, swinging a rucksack filled with what little personal possessions she owned over her shoulder. A few items of casual clothing, toiletries and a small penknife she had 'acquired' during their time as refugees after the fall.

She had thrown it away in their first life after joining the scouts but had decided to keep it close this time. Using a blade to trigger her ability felt more reliable and elegant compared to biting.

She looked up at the ageing fort, seeing some scouts using 3DM gear to clean some of the upper windows. It looked like Captain Midget hadn't been able to contain his fetish for cleaning and had ordered others to start scrubbing.

She wondered what the Government and people would think if they saw precious military resources being used to satisfy that man's desires.

The corner of her mouth twitched upwards at the thought.

'_It's good to be home.' _

* * *

The first familiar face they came across was the survey corp's resident mad scientist and their old commander Hanji Zoe.

She had, quite literally, ran into the new cadets, nearly knocking Marco to the ground. A maniacal smile was plastered on her face, and a large spear was clutched in her hand as titan blood slowly evaporated off her scout jacket.

"Sorry about that. I didn't see you there. I was deep in thought."

Most of the group took a subtle step back, noting how sharp (and bloody) the spear was.

"I'm on a scientific quest, and I am of the very precipice of the most monumental discovery in human history. A discovery that will shatter the very foundations of our understanding of the titans and change the world as we know it!" Hanji cried out with fierce determination.

She hoisted her spear above her head and shouted defiantly into the sky as if challenging some great unseen deity.

"I **WILL** find the titan's reproductive organs even if it's the last thing I do!"

The pained whimper that came from the back of the group at Hanji exclamation would later be applauded as the most realistic imitation of a kicked puppy any of the 104th had ever heard.

With her declaration finished, Hanji planted the spear into the group and took a closer look at the group, finally noticing their unfamiliar faces.

"Oh, you must be our newest scouts! Well, I should introduce myself, I'm Hanji Zoe, squad leader and chief titan researcher for the survey corp. But please, call me Hanji, everyone else does!"

"Section Commander!" the ever exasperated Moblit shouted out as he runs towards them, finally catching up with his commander/caree. "Please put the spear away; you're going to hurt someone."

"Ah, there you are Moblit! Come say hello to our new comrades."

Out of breath from his rapid pursuit, Moblit just gave a tired nod to the fearful recruits.

"Say," Hanji started again as if she had just remembered something important, "Which one of you young' uns is Armin?"

Before he could even answer, he was shoved forward by a frightened Sasha, clearly as a sacrificial offering to this blood-covered, spear-wielding lunatic.

Hanji quickly seized him and pulled him to her side. "Ah the infamous titan whisperer, I've heard so much about you! Is it true Eren listened to you, even when he lost control of his titan form?" Armin gave an unsure nod in reply.

Hanji squealed in joy, "Oh, I'm so jealous! I wish I could command a titan." She finished with a wistful sigh, showing her genuine disappointment.

"But I can live my desires through you, my new best friend! I have plenty of questions so let's get straight down to business. You've been friends with Eren for a long time, right? Tell me, what's it like being friends with a titan? Does he get sick from the flu, the common cold or food poisoning? Is he allergic to anything? Does he have any unusual dietary requirements or strange cravings for human meat? You were in bootcamp together so you must have seen him in the shower before. Does he have genitals or is he bare like a titan down there? If he does, is it a normal size for a boy his age? I would ask Eren, but Levi is being very selfish and is keeping him all to himself!"

Armin's brilliant mind was reeling at the quick-fire, and somewhat disturbing, questions. He turned his head to Mikasa, giving a silent request for assistance.

Alas, his plea was ignored as Mikasa purposely avoided eye contact and hid a small smile behind her crimson scarf.

"Come on Armin don't be shy; I'm hoping that Erwin assigns you to my squad, and then I can introduce you to my titans; Sawney and Beane. Oh, just think all of the fun we can have together!" Hanji was practically shaking with excitement; her manic smile became even more disturbing at the word _fun._

"Shitty glasses, let go of that brat." The dull drawl of Captain Levi filled the yard, as he slowly strutted towards them, with Eren in tow. Armin had never been so pleased to see the vertically challenged man in his life.

"Erwin wants a report from you about your newest… _pets_."

Hanji made a face which was half disappointed at being pulled away and half ecstatic at the idea of informing the Commander about what she's discovered.

"Aww, Levi aren't you going to be a gentleman and escort me? I might get lost in this big old castle." Hanji batted her eyelashes and grins at the man, fishing for a reaction.

Levi tilted his head a fraction and gave her a blank look. "Get moving four eyes. He's a busy man."

Hanji let out a dissatisfied huff and took off, dragging Moblit with her. This left the 104th standing before Levi and Eren in a semi-awkward silence.

"Captain, permission to talk to my friends for a few minutes?" Eren asked, breaking the hush.

"Tch, fine. You've got five minutes with the other brats, then report back to the training ground. Your 3DM abilities are atrocious, and I will not have it in my squad." Levi walked off without a second glance, muttering under his breath about the 'shitty' training they received at bootcamp.

"Hey everyone, it's great to see you. I can't believe you all joined the scouts!" Eren smiled, relieved to see some friendly faces finally.

The smile turned slightly strained at the cautious looks he was receiving from a large number of the 104th. He scratched the back of his head sheepishly, knowing he couldn't avoid the titan in the room any longer, "So… about the whole titan thing..."

* * *

Their second day in the survey corp consisted of a crash course in the long-range scouting formation, being introduced to their specially bred horses and finally 3DM training.

But this wasn't the usual exercise they had done in bootcamp, where they 'hunted' several stationary wooden targets in a forest. This was Scout training.

Now the targets were on wagons and tilts, which meant the 'titan' could unexpectedly move and turn, causing many unprepared recruits to crash directly into them on numerous occasions. And not only that, they had to avoid other scouts flying around trying to smack them with sticks.

While this might sound like a cruel hazing prank, there was a reason behind it. It taught scouts always to pay attention to their surroundings; just because they have an opening on one target doesn't mean something wasn't targeting them.

Getting tunnel vision when fighting the titans is a surefire way to reach an early grave.

It was arduous, demanding and occasionally painful. And Mikasa loved it! She had been so tired of the same basic exercise back in bootcamp that she could have done it in her sleep. She was so relieved to finally be doing something that challenged her that one of the stick-wielding scouts, Nanaba she vaguely recalls, nearly got the drop on her. She dodged it of course, but it was still close.

Once everyone had completed the course to varying degrees of success, they had been dismissed. Mikasa silently followed the others to the mess hall for dinner, half-listening to their complaints of sore muscles and bruised skin. Her healing abilities made such things of memory of the past, but she could remember the discomfort she felt after a long training session.

She picked an empty table and waited for Armin to arrive; Hanji had dragged him away earlier in the day to discuss her favourite thing, titans. The oddball scientist clearly wasn't joking about wanting Armin in her squad.

Mikasa's solitary table was suddenly occupied by someone else sitting down opposite her, taking the seat she had saved for Armin.

"Alright, Scarfy." Mikasa looked up at Ymir's freckled face, noticing the smug grin the rogue shifter was wearing. She could already tell she wasn't going to enjoy this.

"Ymir." She replied blandly, "What do you want?"

"What? Can't a girl sit with her fellow scout without wanting something?"

"Seeing as we've said less than two dozen words to each other over the last two years without Krista being present, I doubt it."

Ymir clicked her tongue, "Fine, I wanted to talk to you about something. I noticed you kept sneaking off, only to find out you've been talking to my sweet Krista. So, in case you're like that moron Braun and trying to steal my girl I decided to keep an eye on you. And do you know what I found? I discovered that we have something in common, don't we scarfy?"

The world seemed to come to a screeching halt for Mikasa. The busy canteen suddenly felt very quiet, and her blood ran cold.

"What?" she said slowly, hoping she had just misheard Ymir.

"Don't play dumb with me. You might hide it well from the others, but I can see it clear as day. Kindred spirits and all that." Ymir leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. Her grin had widened as she spoke.

Mikasa slowly reached for the penknife strapped to her thigh. She had no idea what Ymir's intention was, but if she was really going to do this right here and now, Mikasa would be ready.

"You've tried to keep it hidden, but if I can see it after watching you for a bit, others will soon notice it as well. Are you scared of them finding out?" Ymir cocked her head to the side with a smirk.

Mikasa's mind raced. Was Ymir going to oust her publicly, or was this some kind of blackmail attempt? Had Historia failed to secure her loyalty, or had she told Ymir the truth without asking them?

'_That doesn't matter right now, think, THINK. What are you going to do now?'_ Mikasa thinks to herself, '_The Jaws titan is agile but not overly powerful. Losing it would be a blow, but we could still win without it.' _Her hand clenched around the penknife; a rudimentary assassination plan was starting to form in her head.

And if Historia was a part of this... _'I won't let anyone betray us. Never again.' _

"And what is this 'secret' we share, Ymir?" she tried to keep the strained tension out of her voice, to limited success. If Ymir's plan was blackmail, she would play along for now. Then she would strike when Ymir wasn't prepared.

"Oh, I think you know, Scarfy." Ymir's grin was practically predatory at this point, like a wolf about to devour its prey. "We've both have a thing for short blonds."

Mikasa blinks. Then blinks again.

"… what?"

"You and Arlert. You're always watching him out the corner of your eye and roaming off together. The two of you are practically attached at the hip. You like him, don't ya?"

Mikasa should have felt some sort of relief that Ymir wasn't talking about her titan ability, but now she was dealing with something just as secretive and private.

She didn't fully understand her feelings toward Armin and how they've changed since their return, but she did know Ymir was the last person she would talk to about it, after Armin himself of course.

So, she quickly brushes off the comment in the vain hope Ymir might drop it. "You're imagining things. We're just friends; we've known each other since we were kids."

"HA! Just friends." Ymir shook her head, chuckling softly, "Oh scarfy, I can see I've got my work cut out for me helping you. But to be honest, I am surprised no one has walked in on the two of you showing how _friendly_ you really are." She leered.

A hard kick under the table shut Ymir up. Mikasa had almost forgotten how irritating and abrasive the freckled girl could be without Historia around to temper her worse impulses.

"Ouch! There's no need to get violent, I'm just saying it how I see it."

"Leave me alone, Ymir. There is nothing to 'see', and certainly nothing to discuss."

Ymir threw up her hands in mock surrender, "Okay, okay. Touchy subject, I guess. I'm only trying to help, after all, I do have experience in the subject on wooing petite blonds."

"Go. Away." Mikasa growls out.

Ymir gives a long sigh and shrugs her shoulders, "Well, I tried. I just wanted to make sure you didn't waste your life longing but never acting. Nothing worse than letting someone slip away because you were too afraid to act."

She ignored the rest of Ymir's speech, silently debating the merits and drawbacks of punching her lights out. Unfortunately, the punch might have to wait as Ymir finally stood up to leave.

Ymir gave a final smirk, "Oh, one last piece of advice. When you finally get around to it_,_ don't go on top. You might end up crushing the poor boy."

With an impressive of athleticism and swiftness, Ymir vaults over a table and dives out of the messroom, just before a spoon (thrown with frightening speed) is impaled into the wooden door frame, with a loud metallic twang.

Across the room Reiner, Connie, Jean and Marco sat at a table with wide eyes and open mouths.

"What the hell was that about?" Jean asked, eyes firmly glued towards the impaled spoon.

"Well, it's Ymir. She was either being completely insufferable or just really wound her up about something." Reiner replied, sounding almost disappointed that the spoon missed.

"She decided to wind Mikasa up?! Damn… and we called Eren the suicidal maniac." Connie shook his head in disbelief.

In all the years to come, the story behind the spoon-shaped hole in the doorway became almost legendary within the survey corp.

A cautionary tale passed down from scout to scout, from the most hardened veteran to the newest recruit, that _anything_ in the hands of a pissed off Ackerman could be a deadly weapon.

Even a spoon.

* * *

Eren nervously rubbed his hands together under the table, feeling distinctively out of place surrounded by the members of Squad Levi; Eld Jinn, Oluo Bozado, Gunther Schultz and Petra Ral.

Between the four of them, they had put hundreds of the horrific titans to the sword. And now they all sat around, each nursing a mug of ale and playing cards.

Gunther had poured him out a drink as well, but he hadn't touched it. After the teaspoon incident, it just didn't feel right for someone with his… _condition_ to get drunk. That would be a recipe for disaster.

"So Eren," Petra started, trying to bring him into the conversation. "You must be happy that so many of your cadet corp joined up, I saw you talking to one of them earlier; the Asian girl. Is she your friend?"

"Or girlfriend?" Olou smirked into his mug.

Eren felt his cheeks heat up at that suggestion. "That's Mikasa. She's my adopted sister."

"Wouldn't stop the weirdos in the capital." Olou said with a shrug before Petra smacked him round the back of the head, shutting him up.

"Shut it perv. Mikasa… I've heard that name before. Isn't she the one who killed dozens of titans at Trost?"

Eren couldn't remember much of the actual battle. He could recall Armin killing that abnormal titan, the pain of getting his leg bitten off, and finally being dropped into a titan's mouth. The next thing he remembered was the garrison threatening to blow Armin, Mikasa and himself up with a cannon.

"Err, I think so. I don't remember a lot, but at the trial they said she killed up to 40."

Olou's smirk shrivelled up and died, as Eld and Gunther started to laugh. "Damn Olou, a newbie nearly topped your kill count in a single day. Better watch out, or the Captain might replace you with her."

"Tch, brat just got lucky. She'll probably wet herself first time beyond the wall like Petra did." Olou had the annoying tendency to imitate Captain Levi, which became even more pronounced when he was self-conscious or embarrassed.

"HEY!" Petra punched him in the arm, looking mortified.

There was another round of laughter from Eld and Gunther.

They may be the best of the best, but without the Captain present, they acted like a bunch of fresh-faced cadets back in bootcamp.

It reminded him of his own friends and how he wasn't permitted to spend time with them without expressed permission.

His mood worsened, turning from nervousness to loneliness. As much as he wanted to, Eren doubts he would ever be truly part of this team. They might be his teammates, but they were also his wardens and potential executioners should he mess up.

He missed his friends; Armin, Mikasa, Reiner, Sasha, Connie and the others. Apart from those brief few minutes the day before he hadn't interacted with them; he wasn't allowed to train or even eat with anyone except the Special Operation Squad.

'_Fuck'_ he thinks depressingly, _'I'm even starting to miss arguing with horseface!'_

Eren hopes he can prove his loyalty to humanity soon, and then maybe life can go back to normal… Well, as normal as military life could be for a 14-year-old boy who could turn into a 15m titan.

* * *

A cloaked spectre flew gracefully through the inky black night. The light from the crescent moon could not breach through the dark clouds above.

Like most crimes, this one would be committed in the dark.

The hooded figure landed with a softness their size shouldn't permit. His tall, slender form crouched down on the walkway, as brown eyes gazed into the containment area eying up the two pinned Titan with disdain.

He knew the scouts couldn't be allowed to carry out more experiments on them. They had already discovered that titans are not active at night, hence the unguarded nature of the pen. The lack of knowledge regarding the titans was their greatest advantage, and they couldn't afford to lose it. Their mission already hanged on a thread; Marcel and Annie were gone. They were the last warriors left and had to complete their task before they could finally go home.

A bead of sweat rolled down his long face as he drew out a blade out of its holster. The scouts had pinned the titans down with their napes exposed, for their own peace of mind.

Now that choice would be to their detriment.

With a quick burst of gas, he flew toward the titans and brought the blades down, slicing through the titan's flesh with ease. The titans made no sound as they were struck down; only the hissing of steam as their bodies started to breakdown could be heard in the silent night.

He didn't even look back at his achievement, knowing he had to get away killing ground as soon as possible. He had been lucky in avoiding any night guards and knew all hell would break loose when the remains were discovered.

Bertholdt's relief was almost palpable as he stashed the borrowed 3DM gear back in the storage room. All he had to do now was sneak back to his room, and he would be fine. No one would ever know it was him who killed those titans and if they did an inventory on the gear, it would only lead them on a wild goose chase.

Using his military training; both from home and here, he quietly snuck back to his room, and finally closed the door with a resounding click. He rested his head against the cool wood feeling the tension and stress slowly dissipate off him.

He collapsed onto his bed, letting out a long sigh of relief. He fell asleep thinking he had succeeded and was now one step closer to home.

He never noticed the person watching him from one of the castle windows, their face obscured by shadows. But nothing could have hidden those dark grey eyes which blazed with fury.


	15. 57th Expedition Pt 1

Historia let out a long steady breath as the outer gate of the Calaneth district slowly ascended. She ignored the looks and snide comments from the townspeople about wasted tax money as they waited for the command to advance.

The object Armin had slipped her a few minutes ago seemed to burn a hole in her pocket. She knew it could only use it in one specific circumstance, even if a normal titan was about to rip her apart, she couldn't use it. Nothing had been said directly, but she knew she expected her to die rather than waste it. She also knew that he would do the same.

They both had one, a catalyst to kick off their contingency plan should the worst occur. And once that plan begins, neither heaven nor hell would be able to stop it.

She prayed to any power that might be listening that she wouldn't have to use it.

Finally, the signal was given, and Commander Erwin announced the 57th Expedition had begun as the scouts quickly rode forward. Historia focused ahead, trusting in the support squad to take out any titans roaming about the abandoned town just outside the gate. Once they had cleared the ruins, they could form up into the long-range scouting formation and truly begin the expedition.

That's when things would get serious.

"_Gather round recruits; I've got your formation positions right here!" Dieter Ness called to them, waving a slip of paper in the air while narrowly avoiding the horse trying to bite his bandanna._

"_Because there are so many of you, we've had to shuffle around some of your positions. Normally most recruits are placed in the inner signalling ring, as to keep you away from the Titans. However, in light of your experiences in Trost, the Commander has authorised that some of you be placed in the outer signalling ring, to close any possible gaps in our lines."_

"_Now, don't be alarmed. There will still be the outer defensive ring surrounding you made up of the more experienced soldiers such as myself and I promise to do everything in my power to keep you lot safe. You have my word." _

"_Right, positions. Ackerman inner left 2-3, Arlert outer left 3-3, Bott back right 3-5, Braun outer right 2-5, Ymir back left 1-3, Lenz HIinner right 3-4, Hoover outer left 3-2." _

_The man continued to list off names and positions for a few more minutes before dismissing them. Historia caught the look Armin gave her and gave a subtle nod back. They needed to talk._

Ymir hadn't been happy with being separated from her while beyond the walls and had even threatened to break formation and ride beside her during the expedition. Not wanting to put Ymir in the firing line (despite her being far less vulnerable than she was) she had promised her a very tempting reward for being a good scout and staying in position.

Judging by the slight red tinge Ymir had on her freckled cheeks when they mounted the horses that morning, she had decided to accept her offer.

"Good luck, Krista!" Marco shouted above the din of charging horses as he peeled off to his position.

"And you. Stay safe!" Historia shouted back. _'Let's hope we all do.'_

* * *

_Sometime later_

Judging by the soreness of her backside and the fact the top of wall Rose was just barely visible behind them, Historia reckoned they had been riding hard for just over two hours. She had seen a few titans, but most had been cut down by the defence squads before they had gotten too close.

However, for the last couple of minutes, the right flank had been unusually quiet. Historia hasn't seen any titans breaking through, but she also hadn't seen any flare signals. Usually, this could be considered a good thing; no titans meant no signals, but there was something wrong with this silence. Especially with _him_ being position in that area.

She wants to believe they had just been fortunate and hadn't encountered any titans.

She wants to believe they are fine, and the formation hasn't been compromised.

She looks to the dense grove of trees in the distance, cutting between her and the outer ring. She squints, trying to see something, anything to confirm their status.

As if taunting her naivety, a single black flare is fire above the tree line, followed moments later but a yellow flare. _'Shit' _she thinks grimly, loading and firing her own black signal.

Black meant an abnormal had appeared and yellow meant the formation had been severely compromised. To see both filled her with dread.

Her eyes remained fixed on the treeline, waiting to see what would burst through. _'Please let it be an abnormal, just a basic abnormal titan. Please.'_

She could hear the cracking wood and heavy thumps before it came into view, smashing through the trees like an unstoppable force of nature. There it was; 15m of thick armoured plating fused to flesh and muscle, topped with short bleached hair and yellow eyes. The arbiter of Wall Maria's destruction. The Armoured Titan.

With shaky hands, she slotted the special object Armin had given her onto her flare gun and waited as Reiner barrelled towards her. At the last moment, she pulled back on the reins of her horse, coming to a stop as Reiner crossed in front of her, only giving her a small passing look.

She lifted the gun to the sky and gave a final prayer as she pulled the trigger.

'_Good luck, Mikasa.'_

* * *

Mikasa could already tell something had gone wrong, even before she saw Historia's special flare. The formation had taken a sharp turn to the left, and she could see the forest of giant trees in the distance ahead. The vanguard and the wagons had already entered it and would soon be followed by the Eren and his squad.

Seeing the special signal flare from the right flank had only confirmed her suspicions. The brownish colour, made from mixing red and green dye from standard flares, looked like a trail of dried blood against the pale blue sky. Morbidly fitting she supposed.

She took a quick look around before pulling up her hood and kicked her heels, pushing her horse forwards. They had planned for this, and Historia had done her part.

Now it was her turn.

"_There's a good chance they will try to capture Eren during the expedition," Armin spoke quietly to his two fellow conspirators. "Without Annie to help them, they'll have to do it themselves. The Colossal isn't suited to any kind of chase and capture mission, so it will have to be the Armoured Titan." _

"_If that happens, we have a serious problem. Without the Thunderspears, the corp has no way of breaking through those armoured plates. If he grabs Eren, there would be little they could do to stop him. But we do have one thing that could stop him." He gazed pointedly at Mikasa._

"_The Female Titan can also harden parts of its body with crystals, which was extremely effective against Reiner's armour. And even if you can't activate your hardening abilities immediately, you're a far better hand to hand combatant than Reiner. You can use his size and strength against him as Eren did at Wall Rose." _

_Mikasa gives a single nod but remained silent. If Armin believes she can do it, then she will. _

"_If we do this, we'll lose the element of surprise." Historia adds, taking the side of caution in this plan._ _"They'll know someone discovered and seized Annie's power. Even if they don't suspect us, they'll know that someone is working against them. They might flee or try and breach the walls again." _

"_I know. But if we lose Eren and the founding titan, we lose everything." Armin replied, settling the matter._

As she rides, Mikasa mentally steels herself for what she's about to do. Armin had explained the shift to the best of his ability but had admitted that no words could truly do it justice. She knew how to trigger it, both Eren and Armin had told her about it in their last lives, by drawing blood and focusing on an objective. But it's one thing to hear about it, and another to actually experience it.

"_One last thing, Mikasa. Be careful when you change. Having that much raw strength and power at your command is… intoxicating. It's so easy to lose focus and control and just to let the titan take over. You mustn't let that happen; we can't lose you as well."_

She reaches the forest edge unobserved but continues to ride hard until the grassy plains could no longer be seen through the dense trees.

Pushing away all doubts and concerns, Mikasa stands up on the saddle and jumps off, using her 3DM gear to propel herself upwards.

She sets her mind on stopping Reiner before drawing out her penknife and slashing it across her palm.

A ball of energy formed several metres about the forest floor, whipping up leaves and branches like a hurricane. Bones and muscle started to materialise, a large humanoid shape starting to take form. Then, as quickly as it appeared, the ball was gone, and all that remained was a Titan unlike none other.

Steam from its transformation slowly poured off its crouched form, as the titan raised its skinless hands from the damp earth and stared at them, inspecting them with unabashed fascination. It went to touch its face when a loud bang echoed through the forest, drawing its attention. Standing up, the titan quickly turned and took off, running towards the source of the sound.

Its enhanced senses could already smell human blood in the air, and it could only hope it wasn't too late.

* * *

"ORDERS, CAPTAIN?!"

"LEVI ITS GAINING ON US!"

"CAPTAIN GIVE US THE ORDER TO ENGAGE! CAPTAIN!"

The Armoured Titan was only metres behind the special operation squad; its arm outstretched towards them. The very ground seemed to shake under its heavy steps.

Eren felt fear and hatred in equal measure. This was the bastard that breached Wall Maria, costing humanity nearly a third of its population and territory. It had wiped out the support squad that had tried to stop it with sickening ease. Now it was bearing down on them, trying to grab him, and Captain Levi hadn't done a damn thing!

This was supposed to be the finest squad of titan slayers in history, but they were just running away and letting others die for nothing.

"Cover your ears." Levi warned them, seemingly unperturbed by the monster pursuing them, before firing off an acoustic shell.

The ringing in their ears was almost strong enough to block out the sound of their approaching demise. Gradually their hearing returned to them, only to be met by the sound of another soldier getting body slammed into a tree by the Armoured Titan.

"Listen up; our job is to protect Yeager no matter the cost. It's not to let your emotions control you in the heat of the moment. So, we are going to keep pushing forward until I say otherwise, got it?"

Eren couldn't believe it. This was Captain Levi, _the Captain Levi_, the strongest soldier alive and Eren's personal hero and inspiration. And he was telling them just to keep running.

'_No.'_ he thought bitterly _'He can keep running if he wants, but I won't let others die for me.' _He brought his hand to his mouth.

"Eren, no! You're only permitted to assume titan form if your life is in peril. You swore an oath, remember?!" Petra yelled, catching him in the act. His eyes darted behind them, and Petra's followed.

Their relentless pursuer was even closer now; its plated chin had descended revealing rows of sharp teeth. It almost seemed to be smiling.

Eren placed his hand between his own teeth, feeling the skin tighten under the pressure. A tiny bit more would be enough to break the surface and draw blood.

"Eren!" Petra shouted again, trying to dissuade him.

"I wouldn't blame you. You have a choice to make Eren, either you make the call to believe solely in yourself, or put your trust in your comrades, even if you disagree with their methods." Levi's voice was barely a whisper, but Eren heard every word with startling clarity.

"Either way, do as your conscience dictates. But remember, you must live with that decision for the rest of your life. So as much as you can, choose whichever option you'll regret the least."

Latching on to the Captain's line of thinking, Petra tried again. "Eren, trust us." She said softly, giving him a small, kind smile. Eren caught a glimpse of the faint bite mark around her hand, the symbol of the squad's acceptance of him following his first failed experiment.

They had forgiven him after that, even when they would have been fully justified to cut him down. They had chosen to trust him.

Could he convince himself to do the same?

"Yeager! There's no more time, decide now!"

Eren clenched his eyes shut, trying to block out the sounds of another scout dying behind them.

Maybe he was wrong about them; maybe they were more than wardens, perhaps he could be a real member of the team. But only if he trusted them.

"I'M WITH YOU!" he shouted into the sky.

Eren could almost feel the titan's fingertips brush against his cloak when they burst into a small clearing. All around them were dozens of scouts and barrel cannons; all pointed towards them.

Commander Erwin pointed a blade at the armoured titan and screamed, "FIIIRRREEE!"

* * *

The trap was masterfully planned out. They had drawn the titan deep into the forest, away from any regular titans who could create problems. The barrels had been set up both on the ground and up in the tree canopies, giving an even greater arc of fire.

Hundreds of metal anchors would be impaled into the target's flesh, and the taut steel cables would keep it pinned and immobilised.

It was nothing short of genius and would have worked perfectly against any other titan.

Unfortunately, this wasn't 'any other titan'; this was the Armoured Titan. Most of the anchors bounced uselessly off its thick armoured plating, not even scratching it.

The handful that managed to sink into the exposed flesh was nowhere near enough to stop its incredible momentum. The sheer speed of the titan tore the barrels clean off their supports, smashing them against scouts and trees alike, showering the area with fragments of wood and steel.

There was a great deal of terrified and pained screaming from the ambushing scouts as the Armoured Titan ploughed through, only being slightly slowed down by the failed trap.

"SHIT! Captain, it broke through!" Eld shouted as the titan broke through the smoke.

Levi turned to look back, and for the first time, Eren saw an emotion on the man's face that wasn't indifference. It was a look of annoyance mixed with the slightest undertones of apprehension.

"Switch to ODM gear, only engage the titan when it gets close. Yeager, you're with me."

"Yes, Sir!" all four of them said before jumping off their mounts.

"But Captain, I can…" Eren started to plead with the man.

"No, our mission is to keep you safe. They're doing their job so we can do ours. Now, head down and keep moving." Levi overruled him, the look on his face morphing back into one of indifference.

* * *

The four veterans of the special operation squad were perched on the top branches, watching as the titan approached. No words passed between them, as none were needed. They had killed hundreds of Titans together and almost instinctively knew what the others would do.

First, they would target the ankles and halting its pursuit. Then they would take out the eyes and cut the joints of its arms; blinding and crippling it. And finally, they would attack the nape and kill the bastard.

"The bigger they are…" Gunther spat out, glaring at the approaching foe.

"The harder they fall." Oluo grunted back.

And their attack began.

It started so well; Eld had sliced the titans achilles tendon causing it to stumble and crash against a tree. The beast only had a second to glare at them for daring to attack him, before Petra and Gunther slashed out its eyes, blinding it.

The titan bellowed out in pain and anger, covering its ruined eyes with its arm. Olou flew under the raised arm slicing a deep cut across its unarmoured pit, causing the arm to slump down, completely unusable.

Eld went for the kill, soaring behind the monster and bring his two blades down against the nape.

They shattered like glass.

And then everything went wrong.

The titan's other arm shot out and grabbed his ODM wire mid-air. Eld came to a sudden stop and seemed to float in the air, almost gracefully for a moment before the titan yanked it back fiercely.

He barely had time to scream before his body came crashing down onto the hard ground with a stomach-turning crunch.

The titan's freshly healed eye opened, then narrowed at them, accessing their positions. A small burst of fire and steam was expelled from its mouth, as it pushes itself upright.

Wanting to avenge their lost comrade, the remaining veterans begin their second attack.

But it proves futile when the titan unexpectedly swings its limp arm around, right into Gunther's path.

Regardless of what military division a soldier ends up in, every one of them is taught in bootcamp about the extents and limitations of ODM gear.

An averagely skilled user can achieve top speeds of around 55mph in a straight line, while a talented (or lithe) users can push that to over 60mph. Gunther was a very gifted user of his gear, so was travelling at around 64mph when he collided with the rock-hard plates on the titan's arm.

The sheer force exerted on his body from travelling at 64mph to standstill in a split second was devastating. Every bone in his rib cage shattered on impact, and the razor-sharp shards of bone were sent flying backwards, perforating his organs like hot knives through butter.

Gunther was dead before his body hit the forest floor.

"Eld! Gunther!" Olou cried out in a fury, launching himself at their killer. "I'll kill you!"

He landed on the titan's face and plunged both his blades into its eye, screaming obscenities.

From her position several metres back, Petra noticed his terrible mistake, but her warning came far too late.

"Olou! Get away!" she cried out.

The monster's other eye had healed and had just reopened.

The titan's hand slammed against its face with a deafening boom. There was a long moment of silence, with only Petra's erratic breathing being heard. Blood started to dribble out through the gaps in the titan's fingers.

The Armoured titan pulled its hand away, allowing Olou's mangled corpse to fall with a splat. It slowly turned to her; a bloody paste that was once her friend covered the left side of its face, as its solitary eye peered into her very soul.

Something deep down inside of Petra broke. Like a dam holding back a wall of terror, it came crashing down at witnessing the brutal demise of her squad.

There was nothing she could do; they couldn't break through its armour, and it had wiped out her squad in a matter of seconds. This wasn't a fight; this was a slaughter.

Petra screamed in fear and ran.

The world started to shake again as the Titan chased her down, having no intention of letting her get away. She looked up, eyes wide in dread, as the sun was blocked out by the giant clawed foot being raised overhead. She couldn't escape; this was the end.

Images of friends and family flashed before her eyes. Eld, Gunther, Olou and countless others she had fought alongside and cared for. Her doting father and loving mother, who she would never see again, and finally to Levi.

Her captain, her mentor, her friend and so much more.

'_I'm sorry, all of you. I'm so sorry.'_

She closed her eyes as the foot dropped.

* * *

**AN:** Ahh, who doesn't love a good cliffhanger? ; )


	16. 57th Expedition Pt 2

**AN: **Welcome to the first-ever Female v Armoured Royal Ruuuuuuuuuuumble!

But seriously though, I wanted to thank you all for the reviews and hits you've given me. I hope you enjoy the conclusion of the expedition.

* * *

From his vantage point, high above the forest floor, Armin could safely ignore the horde of pure titans gathering below him. He was grateful for that, as he could fully concentration on planning their next move.

He had seen Historia's flare and knew that right now Mikasa was either fighting Reiner or hunting him down. Ultimately, it didn't matter all that much, he believed in Mikasa and that her combat skills would see her carry the battle.

No, his mind was on what to do next. Historia had been correct in her assessment, no matter the outcome of today they needed to act fast to secure the Colossal and Armoured Titan. It caused him no limit of frustration that for all their schemes and plans, they might only have a couple of days to secure two titans when it had taken them weeks to obtain the Female Titan.

Sometimes he found his mind wandering back to when they returned. He felt like they had wasted so much time, could they have done things differently? It didn't matter now; they had been given a second chance and probably wouldn't get a third.

They'd have to make do.

"Hey, Armin," Connie's voice drew him out of his scheming "you have any idea what we're doing here? I mean just standing around in trees watching titans try to climb them doesn't seem all that important and I'm pretty sure I just heard some cannon fire."

"I'm not sure, Connie. I think something must have happened to the right flank during the operation, as we made a pretty sharp left turn to reach here. They wanted us to keep the normal titans out, so I'm guessing if there are cannons, they're being used against something we couldn't."

Connie ran a hand through his barely existing hair and looked down at the amassed titans. "Shit man, I kinda knew what to expect when I signed up, but this? I know we're new recruits and all, but I didn't expect to be kept in the dark so much."

He tore his eyes away from the sight, looking a bit queasy, and turned to Armin. "How the hell are you so calm about all this? I know you've seen Titans before when Shiganshina fell, but even at Trost you seemed so composed."

Armin couldn't stop the self-deprecating snort that escaped him as he thought of his first time at Trost. "Trust me, Connie, I wasn't calm at Trost. I may have looked like it, but on the inside, I felt like I was going to throw up. As for right now, I'm choosing to put my trust in the Commander. He must have a good reason to hide his intentions."

Connie looked somewhat comforted by Armin's semi-truthful confession. "Do you think the others are doing alright?"

"Yeah, I'm sure they're fine."

* * *

'_I'm sorry, all of you. I'm so sorry.' _

_Petra closed her eyes as the foot dropped._

A noise like a thunderclap resonated throughout the forest and a shockwave sent Petra flying, colliding painfully against a tree. Unbidden, her eyes opened, and she gaped at the sight before her.

There was a hand. A gigantic, skinless hand.

It had grabbed the clawed foot, stopping it only inches away from crushing her like a bug. The hand hung there for a second before it thrust forward, lifting the unstable Armoured Titan off the ground and throwing it back. Its enormous body smashed straight through one of the giant trees, before hitting the ground hard and crashing into another.

"Eren?" she breathed out as she looked up at her saviour.

It was a titan, but it definitely wasn't the hero of Trost.

While this new Titan shared his height and proportional build, this one lacked the same leathery hide the Rogue Titan had.

In fact, this Titan lacked almost any covering at all. Thick, reddish muscles were left open to the elements except for a triangular strip of skin stretching from its groin to its shoulders; covering its abdominal muscles and… breasts?

Each might have been larger than Petra's body, but they were in the right place and were roughly the right shape. There could be no mistaking it; this Titan had the impossible.

Every Titan ever encountered by humanity had always possessed a deformed, but a primarily masculine body. Not once in their recorded history had a Titan like this been seen before.

A female Titan.

The very idea made her head hurt. Titans were supposed to be completely asexual, so what use would they have for breasts if they don't produce offspring.

'_Hanji would love this.'_ Petra found herself thinking as she looked at the unique Titan.

Her eyes rose past the unusual additions, to the Titan's face. It was long and pointed, with pale, thin lips, framed on either side by shoulder-length black hair that moved softly in the wind. But its most distinguishing feature was its narrow eyes.

They were black; not dark grey or deep blue but totally black. They were utterly devoid of even the smallest speck of colour, leaving no distinction between the pupil and the iris.

They were like two endless voids, which not even light could escape.

Her saviour took a step forward, standing between her and her would-be killer, which had slowly risen to its feet. A low guttural growl rumbled up the Female Titan's throat before she threw her arms back and roared for all the world to hear.

* * *

Mikasa only had one word to describe the feeling of sprinting through the forest in the body of a titan.

Surreal.

She moved her arm, and so did the Titan.

She made a fist, and so did the Titan.

She ran, and so did the Titan.

It was a massive, living puppet which she controlled from the inside.

She ducked under thick branches, weaved between giant trees and leapt over fissures and gorges as she ran.

At first, she headed toward the loud bang she'd heard just after her transformation but had now changed course, following the scent of human blood. A part of her mind wondered if her heightened senses was a general titan ability or if it was unique to the Female Titan.

Just up ahead, the smell of blood had become far more intense, and she could hear someone screaming obscenities. The voice was then suddenly, and violently cut off by a loud splat then a soft thud of something hitting the ground.

Pushing herself even harder, Mikasa burst through the treeline into an old woodland path, just in time to see Reiner looming over the sole survivor of the special operation squad with killer intent.

She lunged forward, catching the falling foot in an iron grip.

She held it for a moment, admiring her newfound strength. She was used to being stronger than most people, her Ackerman blood being responsible for that, but this was something else. With one hand she had stopped a 15m Titan dead.

Then using this strength, she pushes against the captured foot, lifting the traitor off the ground and tossing him away like the piece of garbage he was.

Positioning herself in front of the lone scout, Mikasa takes a second to look around. There were three bloody and mangled corpses lying about, the other members of the squad and the source of the overwhelming stench of coppery blood that filled the air, but no sign of Eren or Levi.

'_They must have kept moving.'_

She savoured the look of surprise on Reiner's face at her presence, he had expected to fight Eren, but instead, he would face her. The traitor slowly rose to his feet, unsure of what to do. His eyes were darting around as if looking for an escape route.

'_Oh no, you're not running. Must have been easy for you to kill those scouts while cowering in your Titan. Let see how you fare against someone your own size, you piece of shit.'_

She threw her arms back in a blatant challenge and roared, for as long and as loud as she could, then lunges at him.

* * *

Eren clapped his hands over his ear at the mighty roar from behind them. Levi, in his usual Levi-ness, showed no sign he had even heard it.

"Calm down, Yeager. They are four of the best Titan killers in the corp. The Armoured Titan is being cut apart as we speak."

Eren wished he felt as confident as Levi sounded. _'No. I can trust them if anyone can kill that stupid monster, it's them.'_

"Captain, the trap back there… did the Commander know this would happen?"

Levi didn't reply immediately, and Eren was about to apologise for speaking out of turn.

Sounding somewhat annoyed, Levi answered. "He had a theory something might happen with you on this Op. And his theories are normally right."

"Sounds like Armin." Eren relaxed ever so slightly while thinking of his friend. "He's usually right about things."

"Tch, that the blond kid at your trial? The one who made a fool out of Nile and the MPs?"

"Yes, Sir."

The Captain didn't reply, but Eren got the feeling his friend had just been moved several steps up Levi's ladder of respect.

* * *

During her first life, one of the anti-Marleyan volunteers had told Mikasa about an old proverb from her homeland, before it had been conquered and subjected by Marley.

'When striking the Chief, don't miss.'

And Mikasa had just missed.

The fight had started well, she had taken him completely by surprise and gotten multiple good hits in using some of Annie's techniques, but quickly found she wasn't as efficient in those moves as Eren had been. She had Reiner in an armlock, but he had broken free and was now starting to fight back.

She dodged and ducked most of his attacks, cautious at how easily he could hurt her with his armoured fists.

Her defence finally failed when she misstepped over a patch of uneven ground, giving Reiner an opening to grab her around the waist.

He forces her backwards, feet tearing up the soil as she's pushed closer and closer toward the gawking scout. She smashes her elbow down against his back, trying to break his hold but to no avail. Eventually, she's slammed against the tree, her heels starting to press against the grounded soldier.

Growing desperate to avoid squishing her, Mikasa uppercuts Reiner as hard as possible.

The bones in her hand crack like eggshells against his armoured face, but it's just enough to break his concentration. His grip around her midriff loosens just enough for her to shove him back, giving her room to breathe.

This fight wasn't going as planned; despite his mental illness, Reiner still had the training from two different military forces and had far more experience in his titan form than she had. He was slowly gaining the upper hand while she was being hamstrung by having to defend the vulnerable scout.

She dropped to one knee, avoiding Reiner's punch which cut the giant tree in two, and scooped up the lone scout with her non-broken hand. The women let out a surprised yelp as she was suddenly pulled up and held protectively against a titan's chest.

Rolling out of the way of the falling tree, Mikasa quickly rights herself upwards and runs.

* * *

There was a great deal of blood and screaming at the location of the failed trap. Chunks of splinted wood and sheared metal covered the area. More than a few pieces were sticking out of people, rather than the ground.

Erwin coughs, trying to clear the dust and debris from his lungs.

"RE… *cough* REPORT! WHAT HAPPENED?" He hollered out, cutting over the screams.

"Commander! The Armoured Titan broke through, the trap failed!" One scout replied, clutching his side.

Erwin bit back a scornful remark about stating the obvious.

"Where did it go?"

"It followed Captain Levi and his Squad." The scout answered, pointing in the direction with a bloody hand.

"Erwin! We have wounded down here. Orders?" Mike shouted up from the forest floor.

"Get anyone off the forest floor; it's too dangerous to stay down there. As soon as that's done gather up everyone who isn't injured, the Special Ops Squad will need reinforcements against the Armoured Titan!"

He just hoped it wouldn't be too late.

'_Hold on Levi. We're coming.'_

* * *

Mikasa had almost forgotten how fast Reiner's Titan could be. Without the plating around his lower leg, he was just as, if not faster, than her. As she ran deeper and deeper into the forest, all she could hear was the pounding of feet as Reiner chased after her.

By leading Reiner deeper into the forest, she had pulled him away from Eren and most of the survey corps, with one exception. Glancing down at the scout she was carrying against her chest, Mikasa wondered what she was going to do with her. She couldn't fight with one hand, especially as the other was still slowly healing.

Eventually, mother nature made that choice for her as a large lake came into view, preventing her from running any further.

With few options left, she jumps and throws the scout up into the canopy, hoping she would grab hold to something. She didn't have time to see if she had, as Reiner charges into her, tackling her away.

He was on top of her before she could blink and drives his knee into her stomach, snapping ribs and doubling her over from the blow.

Then he grabbed her by the throat, lifting her several metres off the ground and roared in her face. Clawing at the throttling hand trying to crush her windpipe, she kicked out trying to push him off but only succeed in nearly breaking her foot against his hardened legs.

Reiner drew his spare hand back, intending to punch her head clean off.

Panicking and out of pure instinct, Mikasa raises her unbroken hand to catch the fist.

It should have been the end for her. Her hand should have shattered like the other, followed swiftly by her skull.

But it didn't.

Her entire arm shook under the impact, but instead of the snapping of bone, there was an ear-splitting shriek, similar to metal grinding against metal.

The two Titans stared at each other, wearing similar expressions of shock. The armoured fist had been caught in a crystallised hand.

Reiner pulled away, but Mikasa was faster and decked him across the face forcing him to release the chokehold he had her in.

Dropping back to her feet, she takes a second to marvel at her blue hand. Maybe it was the stress of battle, but something had activated her hardening ability. It was like something had just clicked in her mind, and a flood of memories of Annie utilising it filled her head.

She concentrated on her hand and wanted to laugh when the crystal covering thickens before her very eyes.

Turning her gaze to Reiner and his newly shattered jaw, she smirked.

'_My turn.'_

She launches herself at Reiner with a hurricane of blows, smashing off bits of his armour with every hit. Still shocked by the rapid turnaround Reiner's increasingly desperate counterattacks were easily deflected, bouncing off her harden skin.

With half his face caved in from the onslaught and her other hand finally healed, Mikasa decides it's time to finish this.

Focusing her hardening abilities away from her hand and into her fingers, she watches as the skinless digits transform into razor-sharp knives.

Without hesitation, she plunges them into Reiner's body, piercing through the protective plating with ease. One sinks deep into his collar, grinding against muscle and bones, and the other she impales into his groin region, and with all the strength she can muster, she hauls him up.

She lifts Reiner overhead, the muscles in her back and arms bulging under the immense strain, as he flails about uselessly.

Letting out a savage roar, she slams him down, cracking the earth beneath them.

* * *

By this point, practically none of the scouts at the forest edge were watching the Titans below. Instead, they looked into the dark forest with fearful eyes at the sounds coming from within.

Loud echoey explosions, terrible roaring and the ear-piercing cracks of falling trees poured from the deep woods. It sounded apocalyptic.

Marco looked pale and worried, while Sasha shifted nervously on her feet. Even the nearby veteran was sweating with anxiety. Historia wanted to say something, anything, to calm her terrified friends but couldn't muster the courage to do so.

How could she when she was just as frightened? Whatever was happening between Mikasa and Reiner sounded extremely violent, and nothing like the quick skirmish the three of them had hoped for.

There was another roar, far louder than the ones previous, and finally a bone-rattling thud, powerful enough to shake the trees they were standing on.

"What the fuck was that?!" a red-headed scout cried out, having to fire his hooks into the branch to avoid falling.

Historia swallowed thickly as she gazed into the forest, wondering the same thing.

'_Mikasa… what's happening in there?'_

* * *

Stand on the lip of a titan-sized crater, Mikasa looked down at her foe. He was face down in the ground, and his left arm was bent at an awkward angle, but to her immense frustration, he was still moving.

'_Enough already Reiner, it's over. Just die.'_

But he doesn't. And worst he tries to push himself up again.

Unconsciously baring her teeth and growling, she stamps down on his back, pushing him back into the dirt where he belonged.

'_Fine. Have it your way.'_

Dropping down and straddling his back, Mikasa grabs the chunk of armour covering his right shoulder and begins to pull. As the armour starts to peel off, she forces her fingers into the widening gaps between it and the tender meat below, levering it up. Reiner bellows out as his protection is wrenched away.

Rather than discarding the bloody chunk, she decides to use it as a weapon against Reiner. Raising it high above her head, she brings it down hard against the shoulder it had, only moments ago, been protecting.

'_This is for all the scouts you've killed.'_

She brings it down, again and again, determined to sever his arm in the most vicious way possible.

'_For Carla and Armin's Grandpa.' _

There's a mighty crack as his bones snap under the successive blows. Leaving the makeshift weapon impaled in his back, Mikasa grabs Reiner's arm and starts to pull it backwards. Frantically struggling, he tries to break free, but with her entire weight pinning him down, there's little he can do.

'_and the thousands of people you've butchered!' _

With a final ruthless twist, she ripped the arm clean off and tossed it away. Blood spurted from his mangled shoulder like a waterfall, puddling on the forest floor. Reiner's pained screech is choked and feeble as his face is half-sunken into the mud.

Mikasa thought it was a beautiful scene.

'_I'm going to tear you apart! Piece by bloody piece!'_

She tilted forward, her mouth only inches away from Reiner's nape and let out a scream loud enough to rupture his human eardrums even through his Titan's flesh.

'_I'm going to exterminate you!'_

Her cheeks tore open as her jaw descended, revealing the rows of teeth inside. Her black eyes seemed to darken even more as she prepared to bite down on the nape, regardless of the protection surrounding it.

She was strong, so strong, she would wrench the traitorous bastard out of there, and there is nothing he can do to stop her.

'_Reiner, GET OUT!'_

A quiet voice in her head stopped her, cutting through her bloodlust just as the teeth brushed against the plates.

"_One last thing, Mikasa. Be careful when you change. Having that much raw strength and power at your command is… intoxicating. It's so easy to lose focus and control and just to let the Titan take over. You mustn't let that happen; we can't lose you as well."_

'_Armin?'_

She froze. What was she doing? Only Ymir's Titan could bite straight through his armour, she'd only end up breaking her jaw trying it, and she would leave herself exposed to a…

Her eyes widened and tried to move her head away, but she was too slow, Reiner's head jerked back crashing against her face.

Mikasa reeled back, momentarily stunned at the reversed headbutt. She clutched her face assessing the damage; the entire bottom half of her face was a mess; her nose had been broken, and jaw caved in with half her teeth being sent flying down her own throat.

Perhaps fuelled by fear and desperation, Reiner ushered forth a surprising amount of strength as he bucked and twisted his massive body, sending her tumbling off his back.

Wounded and wobbling, both once again rose to their feet. Reiner was missing one arm, but his other had already started to heal while he was pinned down. Mikasa's jaw was a bloody ruin, and she was growing increasingly exhausted, not use to the amount of energy her titan form required.

This was turning into a war of attrition, and neither of them was sure if they could win.

If her Titan needed oxygen, Mikasa was sure her breathing would be erratic and laborious. Bringing her fists back up into a combat position, she worried about how much longer she could keep this up.

"COMMANDER, ARMOURED TITAN DEAD AHEAD!"

A swarm of squads was flying towards them, two dozen grim-faced men and women with Commander Erwin in the lead.

"SHIT, THERE'S ANOTHER TITAN! 15 METRE CLASS!"

"WHERE'D IT COME FROM?!"

"SOLDIERS MOVE IN AND SURROUND THEM!" Erwin ordered.

Mikasa felt a spark of dread rise within her, Reiner might nearly invulnerable to their blades, but she wasn't.

'_I can't fight off both of them.' _

Fortunately for her, Reiner must have been just as tired from the fighting, or at the very least realised his opportunity to capture Eren had long passed. With one last fearful gaze towards her, he turned and ran.

She didn't want to let him escape, but if this fight continued like this, both of them could end up captured or being killed, either by the scouts or each other.

'_Damnit.'_ she thought before fleeing in the opposite direction. _'Reiner… next time we meet, you won't escape.'_

* * *

Never before in Erwin's life had validation felt so hollow. He had been right that an attempt would be made on Eren's life but had failed spectacularly to prepare for it adequately. Now, 20 scouts lay dead, and twice as many were injured. Levi's squad had nearly been wiped out, and Eren would have likely been captured had it not been for the intervention of the second Titan.

A distinctly female looking Titan from the scant few seconds he had to observe it.

There was a great deal of confusion about what had happened between the two titans, but fortunately, there had been one survivor who had witnessed the battle.

"Lieutenant Ral, are you alright?" Erwin knelt down next to the trembling woman. She had been found on a high tree branch, pieces of broken 3DM gear around her.

He wondered how she had gotten up here.

"It… it killed them. The armoured Titan. We didn't stand a chance." She didn't look at him as she spoke, just continued to stare down at the destruction left by the two titans.

"I…I didn't want to die, so I ran. But it chased me and was about to kill me when she arrived. She saved me, then attacked it. It all happened so fast." Petra mumbled.

Petra still seemed to be in shock from the ordeal, so a full debriefing would have to wait. The information she had already provided had given him plenty to think about.

Rising to his feet, he looks to his second in command. "Mike, please get Petra to one of the medical wagons and have them check for injuries." He ordered before loading and firing off a green flare into the air, signalling an immediate end to the expedition. There was little more they could achieve today, not after the losses they had endured.

"We'll need a full debriefing from her when we return to Wall Rose."

As Mike left with Petra underarm, it gave him some time to think. There has only been one other confirmed observation of Titans fighting on another, and that was Eren during the battle for Trost.

If that infighting came from a human who could turn into a titan, it raised the question about the true nature of the Armoured and Female Titan.

Less than a minute after Mike departed with Petra, Hanji lands beside him with an unreadable expression.

"Erwin, we lost sight of the Armoured Titan, but we discovered the remains of the Female Titan. Its nape was torn open, and we found this inside."

She handed the object to him; any sign of her usual eccentricity had been replaced by dead seriousness.

He looked down at the item for several long moments, his heart rate increasing minutely at its significance.

He didn't realise how dry his throat had suddenly become until he spoke again. "Who else has seen this?"

"Moblit was the one who found it and passed it straight to me. No one else in my squad saw it." Hanji looked about, making sure they couldn't be overheard. "He knows not to speak of it to anyone."

"I see." He uttered out while balling the object up in his fist, before slipping it into his jacket pocket.

This discovery changed a great many things. Erwin had been sure this was a fight between humanity and whoever the Armoured and Colossal Titan answered to, but now he wasn't so sure.

There appeared to be a third party at play here.

'_Interesting… very interesting.'_


	17. Damned, Defeated & Determined

_A soldier awakens in an endless nothingness. There is no beginning or end, no walls or floor. Yet the soldier stands none the less, floating weightlessly in the darkness._

_The soldier is afraid and cries out into the void_

'_Hello?! Is anyone there? Where am I?' _

_Their voice echoes on for an instant and an eternity until silence once again reigns._

_Then another voice slowly fills the void, coming from every direction at once. It's cold and dark but unmistakably theirs. _

'_You're in paradise, of course. Don't tell me you've forgotten?'_

_The soldier flinches at the voice, unsure where to look._

'_W...who are you? What is this!?'_

_The voice was beside him this time, whispering in his ear._

'_Oh dear, you've really lost it this time, haven't you? Well, it's not surprising, you've always been weak. You just couldn't stand it anymore; the guilt, the lies, the deaths. So, you decided to run away and hide from it. Pathetic.'_

_The voice moved around, now coming from in front of the soldier. If it had a physical form, it would be looming over them._

'_How many people have you killed now? Hundreds? Thousands? You slaughtered countless innocent people; men, women, even children.'_

'_You're a monster.' The voice spat, fury and disgust mixed in every word._

_Fear rises from deep within the soldier at the voice's words, so they shout out, denying the accusation._

'_No! I'm not a killer; I've never hurt anyone!'_

_The denial dies in their throat as a solitary drip resonates through the void. Hesitantly the soldier looks down at their hands and lets out a terrible scream._

_Blood. So much blood._

_Deep mocking laughter echoed in the darkness. _

'_Think on your sins, Reiner. You'll pay for them soon enough.' _

Reiner's eyes snapped open, and he lurches up, breathing heavily. His head felt like someone had shoved a red-hot poker into his brain. The pain was unbearable.

'_Fuck, my head.'_

Bertholdt was in front of him, looking alarmed. His mouth was moving, but Reiner couldn't make out anything he was saying through the haze of pain.

Through his blurry vision, Reiner sees that he is high above the ground, surrounded by leaves and branches.

'_Am I in a tree?'_

He didn't know how he had got here, and the last thing he remembered was that they were heading towards Shiganshina to retake Wall Maria and secure Eren's basement. The painful throbbing of his head grew even worse as he tried to piece what happened back together.

His jaw clenches tight, his teeth grinding together, preventing him from crying out. Just as his skull feels like it was about to crack like an egg, the blinding agony suddenly ends. Reiner let out a shaky sigh of relief.

Shakily, he brought his hand up to his head, expecting to find some horrendous injury to explain the pain, but when he pulled it away there wasn't a drop of blood to be seen.

'_What the…'_

He stares at the bloodless hand. The pain that had moments ago threatened to consume him had disappeared entirely, leaving him confused and shaken.

'_I must have fallen asleep and had a nightmare. That makes sense.' _Reiner reasoned, unnerved by what had happened. He tried to think back about what the voice had said, but like a dream, the memories had already withered away.

"Just a dream." He mumbled to himself, pushing away his worries. He was embarrassed at how worked up he had been about it.

'_I hope no one got hurt because I was asleep.'_

"Oi! Didn't you two see the withdrawal signal? Get on a horse, we're heading home!" A grizzled scout shouted up from the forest floor. "You fall behind, you're left behind!"

"Oh shit. Come on, Bert, we gotta go!" Reiner jumped to his feet, wanting to kick himself. He must have been fast asleep to miss that.

"Reiner wait!" Bertholdt grabbed his arm, stopping him from leaving. "What happened to the mission?"

"What do you mean? The commander gave the signal to retreat, so it must be over."

Bert shook his head, "Not that mission, _our_ mission, Reiner. The one we got from…" he looked around for a second before whispering "Marley."

"Marley? Who's that?" Reiner racked his brain but couldn't recall any squad leader by that name.

"Reiner, this isn't a joke! Can't you remember what Commander Magath and Zeke asked us to do?"

"Don't you mean Commander Erwin? Did you bump your head or something man, you're acting crazy?" He worried about his friend and swore to himself he would make Bertie get a check-up from the medic when they got back.

But for now, Reiner just gave him a firm pat on the back and a broad grin. "Come on, let's get going. If we get back to Wall Rose soon, I could ask Krista if she wants to have dinner with me."

If Reiner hadn't jumped down to the forest floor with his gear, he might have seen Bertholdt looking close to tears.

Bertholdt wanted to scream and shout, he wanted to punch something until his fists were bloody and broken to the point were not even his Titan abilities could heal. He knew letting Reiner go after Eren was a risk, but this had turned into a catastrophe.

Reiner, _his_ Reiner, was gone. His whole identity had been completed consumed by this 'soldier' personality Reiner had developed, and there was nothing he could do to bring back the warrior. In his desperation he had even whispered a dozen words he hadn't spoken in years to try and bring him back; Marley, Magath and even War-chief Zeke but Reiner only gave him a queer look and asked if he had hit his head.

The last word his Reiner had spoken, after his failed attempt to capture Eren was a whimpered "Annie…".

Rumours were already spreading like wildfire as they rode back towards Wall Rose. The special operation squad had been nearly wiped out, and a whole new Titan had been discovered.

Bertholdt felt physically sick when he heard the word Female Titan being thrown about. Suddenly Reiner's last word made more sense. Annie had either turned on them… or someone had taken her Titan.

Was he the last warrior left?

'_I hate this. I hate this island; I hate these people for being so harmless, I hate Marcel for sacrificing himself. I hate Annie for leaving us, I hate Reiner for losing his mind. I hate Marley for send us here to wipe them out…' _

'_And I hate myself for doing it.' _

His eyes burned with unshed tears. He was alone, surrounded by people he'd been ordered to slaughter for the crime of merely existing, by a nation who despised him and his very existence.

'_I don't even care if Marley will kill me for failing, I just want to go home.'  
_

* * *

Scout Headquarters – Wall Rose

20:45pm

The basement room was dim and quiet, the flickering candle on the table was all that held back the darkness that wanted to swallow them whole.

Since Captain Levi had been summoned to Erwin's office, no words had passed between the two remaining members of the special operation squad. Petra had just finished off her mug of ale disturbingly fast and was reaching to pour out another when Eren broke the silence.

"I'm sorry." He blurts out before he could stop himself. Petra freezes mid-reach but doesn't turn to look at him.

'_She hates me.'_ Eren believed with all his heart. Three of her friends had been killed while he was running away, despite having the power to stop it. If he had been in her position and had lost Armin and Mikasa in the same way, he would never forgive the person.

Eren isn't sure if it's the thought of losing his friends or being hated by Petra that is like an icy hand around his throat, nearly suffocating him.

"I should have done something; I could have stopped it. I could have saved them."

He tried to swallow down the lump forming in his throat. "I know you must hate me for letting them die, but next time I won't hesitate. I promise you. I won't fail again."

The words taste bitter and hollow, like ash in his mouth. _'How can I promise that? I couldn't save them, just like I couldn't save mum. The only thing I've done with my power is move a rock and attack Mikasa.'_

'_Why did dad give me this power? How can I help anyone if I'm so useless?'_

He didn't realise he had started to cry until a tear hit the table and was followed by another. Eren went to brush them away when he saw movement out the corner of his eye.

He expected a smack or a punch, followed by Petra screaming and shouting at him, demanding to know why he was crying, and why he let her friends die.

He wouldn't blame her if she did.

But instead of anger and violence, Petra did something Eren didn't expect.

She hugged him.

"Shhh, shhh." She whispered, the faint smell of alcohol on her breath. "It's going to be alright."

She ran one of her hands down the back of his head, brushing his hair like his mother used to do.

"I don't hate you, Eren. You did what we asked, you mustn't blame yourself for what happened."

A sob ripped its way from Eren's throat, and with it came the rest of his sorrow.

'_Fucking useless.'_

Shame. Unspeakable shame burned through Eren. He hadn't cried since losing his mother, and now here he was, sobbing on the shoulder of someone he had utterly failed.

"How can you say that?!" he choked out, "They're gone! They all died because of me."

Petra pulled him in closer and Eren felt her shaking slightly in her own grief. But when she spoke again, her voice was firm and resolute.

"No. The Armoured Titan killed them, but they died for us. For me, for you, for all of humanity. They were Scouts, and they gave their lives for their comrades. It will be hard, but the best way we can honour them is to keep moving forward, to keep fighting. And I promise you Eren, next time we find that monster, we'll kill it together. For them."

Eren replied by slowly wrapping his arms around Petra, allowing the tears to fall on her shoulder as he squeezed back.

Levi's hand hovered above the door handle, as he listened in on his two remaining squad members.

For all the power Yeager had, Levi had almost forgotten the brat was only 14. Still a kid.

A kid who had been lost both his parents, survived as a refugee for two years living off what little rations the government provided and any scraps that could be scrounged up, then joined the military only to lose most of his teammates in his first expedition beyond the walls.

Eren had been through hell, something Levi knew all too well.

He wasn't a fool, he knew what he was like and how others saw him; cold, abrasive, rude and dismissive. It was a product of his upbringing, an orphan in the underground city surrounded by thugs and raised, then abandoned, by a serial killer.

But he wasn't heartless.

Never heartless.

He would mourn his fallen squad members. Their names and faces would be burnt into his mind for the rest of his life, however long or short that may be. Just like Isabel and Farlan, and everyone else he had lost. But he would do so alone, as was his way.

Eren needed someone to be there for him, to support him, and he couldn't think of anyone better than Petra to do so.

Levi allowed his hand to drop from the handle and come to rest at his side. Erwin had been adamant that Eren is sent to his office as soon as possible, but Levi decides that just this once, Erwin can wait for a bit.

* * *

Scout Headquarters – Wall Rose

22:37 pm

"I'm sorry for calling you here at such a late hour and under these circumstances, Eren. But there is something I need to discuss with you." Erwin gestured to the chair opposite him, before picking up one of the many files covering his desk.

Eren sat down, avoiding the commander's eyes. Captain Levi hadn't explained anything as they walked to the commander's office, and his feeling of relief at Petra's forgiveness and acceptance had evaporated away with every step.

The government would call for his execution for this failure, and the Commander might be the only person who could prevent that.

"I assume you are familiar with a personnel file, right? One is created for everyone who joins the military and is consistently updated through their training years. Once they graduate, it is passed on to their new regiment's commanders, who are expected to record a soldier's moments of valour and shame, their promotions or demotions, accolades and reprimands."

Eren gave a bewildered nod, he expected to be grilled about the expedition or questioned about his Titan ability, not to receive a lesson in military bureaucracy.

"I've been reading through the files for your classmates and noticed several discrepancies. I have a file here whose personal details page contains only the cadet's first name, with no family name. I have another which is practically overflowing with paperwork verifying their identity, to an excessive degree. Your file has been censored so much by the MPs it's practically unreadable."

Erwin stacked the files on top of each other and reached for some more.

"These two contain very little information before the breach, only a date birth and where they use to live. This one has multiple references to potatoes in the disciplinary section, and this one has nothing but praise for the cadet, not a single bad mark or complaint. If I didn't know Instructor Shadis personally, I might take this as a poor practical joke or lazy administration work. But he is not a man to do either."

"I was hoping you would be able to shine a light on all this."

'_What the hell? Is this some kind of weird test?'_

"Oh… okay, Sir. What is it you want to know about them?"

"Let's start with those you are close with or at least spent the most time with. Tell me about them." Erwin leaned forward, clasping his hands in front of him.

'_Seriously? Is this a joke?'_

The dead serious look on Erwin's face told Eren this was anything but.

So, with slight trepidation, Eren started to tell the Commander everything he knew about his fellow cadets. He spoke for what seemed like hours, telling the Commander all about his friends while the man sat quietly and listened, only occasionally interjecting to ask for more details or clarity on a certain topic.

When Eren eventually ran out of things to say, Erwin started to bombard him with questions.

Most seemed benign or completely random; Did Connie's family come to visit him on visitation days? Did Bertholdt talk much about his village? What regiment did Jean want to join before Trost? What made Reiner's seem like an older brother to you all? Why did she eat it right then and there?

This whole situation didn't make any sense to Eren, but he answered them anyway.

"I have one last question for you Eren. I was reading through Private Arlert's file earlier, and Instructor Shadis noted an almost overnight change in his abilities during his first six months of training. Do you know anything about that?"

That threw Eren for a loop, as he had wondered about that many times, yet never figured it out. When he had mentioned it to Mikasa once, she had just shrugged her shoulders and said he had been doing extra practise, yet Eren hadn't seen him do more than anyone else.

Maybe he snuck out at night and did it.

"Errm, I'm not exactly sure, Sir. When we were kids Armin was never really a fighter, but I guess he just adapted to military life really well. He's always been good at stuff when he puts his mind to it."

"I see… well thank you Eren, this has been very informative." Erwin stood and gestured toward the door, "Go get some sleep. We'll probably be summoned to the Capital soon."

No longer about to contain his curiosity Eren finally asked the Commander the question which had been on his mind since Erwin brought this up.

"If I may, Sir, can I ask why you wanted to know?"

Without missing a beat, Erwin smoothly replied. "I like to know the soldiers who serve beside me. It's the least I can do for those who have dedicated themselves to humanity."

_Bull. Shit._

Commander Erwin was a great man; he was a natural leader, a brave warrior and a tactical genius, but Eren seriously doubted the Commander would spend his precious time asking about the quirks of his newest recruits, especially just after a failed expedition. There had to be something more to this.

But it wasn't his place to question or call his superior officer a liar, so he bit his tongue (figuratively, of course, turning into a titan in the middle of the scout HQ would not end well for anyone).

"That's very kind of you, Sir. Well, good night, Commander." Eren gave a salute and quickly exited the room, pondering what that had all been about.

After the door clicked shut, Erwin sat back down onto his chair and began separating some of the files into a separate pile. The information Eren had provided had been just what Erwin needed, and now the final results were staring him in the face.

Six files, six names, six potential suspects. One of these six was the Armoured Titan, Erwin was sure of it.

Now he just had to find which one it was.

'_So… which one of you is the real enemy?'_


	18. Best Laid Schemes of Shifters and Men

Mitras – Wall Sina

2 Days since the 57th expedition

11:13 am

Eren let out a long, tired sigh. He was, yet again, in a cold and dark prison cell, several metres underground waiting for someone else to decide his fate. He idly wondered if this was his life from now on, being moved from cell to cellar, then back to a cell when things went wrong.

He rubbed his wrists as he sat on the uncomfortable prison bed, privately admitting it was at least _slightly_ better than last time. They hadn't chained him to the wall like a wild animal and had even permitted Petra and Captain Levi to stand guard outside his cell, instead of two angry MPs. So at least he had people to talk to.

It had been nearly two days since that strange meeting in the Commander's office and, unsurprisingly, Erwin had been right. A squad of MPs had turned up at the Scout's headquarters this morning at first light and handed Erwin a missive from the Premier, summoning him, Eren and the remnants of the special operation squad to the capital.

At the commander's request, Petra and Levi had grabbed their 3MD gear before heading out.

Even at that early hour, the castle was quiet. A good portion of the corp had been shipped out the day before, escorting carts full of training supplies in numerous directions. He had asked Petra where they were going, but she wasn't too sure herself.

"Looks like most of the recruits are going, so it might be a training exercise to determine which squad they'll be placed in. The Commander gets the final say, but squad leaders can put in a request if someone catches their eye." She explained with a shrug. "Normally they would all train together, but I guess that isn't practical with that many recruits."

He had been fortunate enough to see Armin and Mikasa off. It had been weeks since he had been able to spend more than a handful of minutes with them, and even now he could only smile and wave as they left.

They rode alongside a sweating Bertholdt, a scowling Horseface and several other people he knew from bootcamp with Hanji leading them out.

She had taken a strange liking towards Armin and was avidly talking to him over her shoulder about her Titan theories and past experiments. Judging from the strained look on his friend's face when he waved back, Hanji had been doing so for a while now.

They left the castle with before the morning dew had dried and maintained a steady pace as they travelled. Levi and the Commander rode some distance ahead, having a private discussion. This left Eren and Petra to make idle talk to pass the time; they exchanged stories about their time in bootcamp and couldn't help but laugh at the wild stories of drunken shenanigans or ill-conceived pranks they both had.

It was nice to be just a normal soldier, even if it only lasted for an hour or two.

When they approached Hermina, the southern district of Wall Sina, they were joined by a small army of MPs, who 'guided' them through the city, clearing the streets by barking orders and brandishing rifles at any civilians who blocked their path.

It didn't stop plenty of people from coming out and pointing at them.

"Oh my… That's the titan boy!"

"They let that thing in here?! What are they thinking?"

"My cousin in the Garrison told me she saw him lifting that boulder in Trost."

"Wow, he looks so young. I thought he'd be older."

Most of the residents were just curious and wanted to see him. Eren tried to ignore what they were saying about him, but it was difficult. Some people were supportive, a few even called him the 'Hero of Trost', as if he was the only one.

But for every bit of undeserved praise he received, he heard twice as many insults; Monster, Titan scum, Bastard, etc. He struggled to remain calm.

Eventually, to Eren's immense relief, the crowd started to thin out and they passed through the inner gate without him exploding at someone for making another vile comment about his mother and his conception.

Rather than returning to their duties in the city, the MPs followed them all the way to the gates of the defence ministry, located in the very heart of the capital. As they entered the massive parade ground out front, they met Commander Dawk and his personal retinue of soldiers.

"You're earlier Erwin, Pixis hasn't arrived yet and the Premier is in another meeting. You can wait inside, but Yeager must be secured underground until the meeting is concluded."

"Is that necessary Nile? Eren isn't a threat to us."

"That's not for you to decide. The security of this meeting is paramount and it's too dangerous to let him roam about." Nile waved his men forward.

Eren carefully dismounted his horse with a dozen rifles pointed at him, knowing full well they wouldn't hesitate to shoot him if he stepped out of line. A younger MP trod forward, holding out a pair of shackles with shaky hands.

The fearful MP went to clamp them around Eren's wrists when Levi stepped forward, blocking the man's path.

"Eren is a scout, not a common criminal. You're not cuffing him." He spoke directly at Nile. The fact he was a superior officer meant absolutely nothing to humanity's strongest.

This defiance almost caused the tense situation to boil over, as a dozen more rifles were quickly levelled in their direction. But Levi remained unfazed and unmoving, almost daring the MPs to try it.

After several long seconds Nile relented, more concerned with getting Eren underground than binding his hands. "Fine, forget the bloody cuffs. Just get him to a cell."

With the rifles still pointed at him, Eren was led through the grandiose building and down a long spiral staircase into the basement and placed in the deepest cell they could find. The ear-splitting screech the door made when it was pulled open told him exactly how long it had been since someone was last placed in here.

When Levi saw the inch-thick dust lying on every surface, his right eye twitched and he quickly pulled up his cravat to cover his mouth. It hadn't been moved since.

Eren thought this whole thing was completely unnecessary; he was loyal to humanity, even if they didn't trust him.

'_I want to kill the Titans more than anyone. What do I have to do to prove I'm on their side?'_ That question brought forth another sigh as he kicked his legs back and forth in frustration.

"Yeager, knock that shit off. Being in this filthy basement is bad enough without your constant sighing." Levi ordered, "It's giving me a headache."

"Sorry, Sir." He mumbled back, not feeling particularly sorry. All he could do now was wait and hope that the Commander comes back with some good news.

* * *

"So, Erwin, please explain to me how, despite having Eren Yeager at your disposal, the survey corp was forced to retreat only a few hours after leaving Calaneth. I placed him in your custody because you told me you'd be able to retake Wall Maria with his powers. Yet all you have to show for the trust I put in you is two dozen of dead soldiers, including three of our best, and the complete failure to achieve any of the objectives for this expedition."

Dhalis Zachary sat at the head of the large oak table, fingers steepled in front of him, and with a face so devoid of emotion it could've been carved from stone.

Pixis and Nile sat either side of the table to represent their regiments in this debriefing. It was unusual for all four heads of the military to be in one room, ignoring the potential security threat it created, their constant and demanding responsibilities normally prevent such a meeting from occurring. Only in the most serious situation do all four of them meet.

Apparently listening to Erwin defending himself, his corp and their continued custody of Eren Yeager counted as a serious situation.

"My apologies Premier, but while you are correct that we failed to retake Wall Maria, that wasn't the only objective for this expedition."

"Ever since the breach four years ago, humanity has been operating on the belief that the Armoured and Colossal Titan were just two very abnormal, perhaps even intelligent, Titans and that the attack had been a one-off disaster. However, since the Trost incursion and the discovery of Eren's powers, I believed that a new theory had to be considered. That they were not Titans at all but are in fact 'shifters' like Eren."

He let the thought hang for a moment, taking in the mixed reactions from his fellow commanders.

Zachary's face continued to be unreadable, Pixis seemed contemplative while Nile looked sceptical.

"Testing this theory was our principal objective for that expedition. If I was correct, these shifters wouldn't allow Eren to fight alongside us, his power would be too much of a threat to their plan, so they would likely try to either capture or kill him. And they did."

"The Armoured Titan appeared within our formation, breaking up the right flank before heading toward the centre. Anticipating this, I redirected the formation into a nearby forest, intending to capture the Armoured using our restraining cannons, and using Eren and the special operation squad as a lure. Unfortunately, I underestimated our target's strength and the trap failed."

"Captain Levi then followed our contingency plan, of ensuring Eren's safety no matter the cost. Eld Jinn, Oluo Bozado and Gunther Schultz gave their lives for this purpose, and Petra Ral would have died had it not been for the sudden appearance of another Titan."

"A Female Titan."

Pixis noticeable sat up in his chair. "I'm sorry, my old ears must be failing me; it sounded like you just said a 'Female' Titan?" The man asked, sounding almost hopeful.

"I did. It was a 15m class, mostly skinless but had a distinctly feminine body shape including what we would recognise as mammary glands. The only such example of these _features_ ever being seen on a Titan. It also showed signs of intelligence and an understanding of martial combat, similar to Eren's Titan and the Armoured."

The elderly man did a quick double-take at the flask in his hand before setting it aside with a dreamy smile. "It's real." He breathed out, gazing into the middle distance.

Many miles away, a girl with a red scarf felt a shiver go down her spine.

Zachary rolled his eyes at Pixis's behaviour and prompted Erwin to continue.

"According to Petra's testimony, the two Titans engaged in a battle for some time, before the Female picked Petra up and led the Armoured Titan deeper into the forest, away from Eren and Levi. After 'she' placed Petra somewhere safe, the fight resumed. The Armoured seemed to be winning at first before the Female Titan created some kind of crystalline layering around her hands, which could damage the Armoured's defences, and started gaining the upper hand."

"When I eventually arrived with reinforcements, both Titans were injured and fled when we attempted to surround them."

"I gave the order to pursue, but with gas supplies running low and the denseness of the inner forest obstructing our lines of sight we lost track of the Armoured Titan, but we did discover the remains of the Female. It had torn open its own nape, and we found this inside." Erwin reached into his pocket, pulling out the object and placing it on the table.

The three men looked at it for a moment, before glancing at each other in confusion.

Zachary sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"… Erwin, why have you put a bloody rag on my table?" he asked, sounding somewhat annoyed.

Using two fingers, Erwin slides the object across the table allowing his fellow Commanders to have a closer look.

"This _rag _is a torn fragment from a scout's cloak. It has the same texture and colouring and because of our need for more weather-resistant clothing than the rest of the military, it's made from a thicker material. From the conditions of the Titan's remains, we believe that the shifter inside accidentally ripped their cloak and injured themselves during their escape."

"Hang on a minute. Erwin, are you saying that this 'Female Titan' is a scout?" Nile interrupted.

"Yes." Was Erwin's simple reply. "and there's something else."

"During the expedition, there was a 7 minutes period between the Armoured Titan's first appearance and when it entered the forest. During that time someone fired off a brown flare on the right flank. At the time, this was assumed to be a defective red flare, which isn't unheard of. But with what we now know about the Female Titan, I suspect it was, in fact, a signal, purposely made to informing the shifter about the approaching threat."

That caused a stir; the very existence of shifters was a grave threat to humanity, someone who had the power of a Titan but could hide in plain sight was a defensive nightmare, especially when the only thing standing between humanity and extinction via Titan was four gates. So, the possibility of someone within the ranks could be assisting the shifters was a sobering thought. How could they deal with this new threat when they can't even trust their own soldiers?

"So, your giant lady Titan must have at least one accomplice within your ranks." Pixis mused as he rubbed his chin. "And they must have anticipated this attack as well. Otherwise, why have a special flare?"

"Could this person be a shifter as well?" Nile queried, looking grim. If the survey corp had already been infiltrated by multiple shifters despite its small size, how many were hiding in the Garrison? Or in his regiment? Could one of them be guarding the King as they speak?

"Let us summarise." Zachary had stood up and walked towards his large window, gazing upon the busy parade ground below.

"The Armoured and Colossal Titans are probably 'shifters' like Yeager, and may have infiltrated our armed forces, and therefore would have an in-depth understanding of our weaponry, tactics and vulnerabilities. The fact the Armoured appeared within the formation rather than approaching it indicates they're a member of the survey corp, while the Colossal remains unaccounted for."

"And not only that, there's at least one other shifter who has been hiding in the scouts for Walls know how long, and for whatever reason, these shifters are fighting one another."

He turned around the face them, the morning sunlight silhouetting his form.

"If I didn't know any better, I would say we have been caught in the middle of a civil war." Zachary let out a huff.

"I won't allow humanity to be collateral damage in their war, we've already lost far too much. Erwin, do you have any leads about the shifter's identities? They seem to be drawn to your regiment after all." The semi-accusatory tone in his voice wasn't missed by anyone.

Erwin held his head high, unfazed by the accusation. He would have kept the others in the dark about the shifters if he didn't have any leads, he didn't want them doing something rash to flush the shifters out.

"At this moment we have very few leads regarding the true identity of the Female Titan. If we assume the shifter is also female, that leaves approximately 35% of the corp suspect. Right now, there is only a handful of women we can fully rule out, mainly those who were in the reinforcement squad who witnessed the Female Titan first-hand. As for the collaborator, all we know is that they were on the right flank. Their age, rank and gender are completely unknown to us at this point."

Leaning down, Erwin pulled six files out of his bag and placed them on the table.

"However, significantly more progress has been made on the Armoured Titan's identity. Our investigation points towards them being a former member of the 104th cadet corp."

Nile interrupted with a scoff. "I find that hard to believe, Erwin. Shifters are one thing, but do you seriously think that the Titan which broke through wall Maria, dooming thousands, and wiped out some of your best, is one of those kids? None of them are old enough to even order a drink, and you're suggesting one of them committed a genocide."

"I find myself in agreement, Erwin. Most of them would have been around ten years old when Wall Maria fell." Pixis spoke up. "What could possibly make someone so young do such a thing?"

Before Erwin could start his explanation, Zachary got involved.

"Enough. I don't care about why they did it right now; I care about who did it. Once we've captured them, we can extract their motives. I've got something that can make 'em talk… or encourage them to." Zachary looked wistful for a moment, thinking his _special_ machine before turning serious once more.

"I expect you have good reasons to suspect them, Erwin. Let's hear it."

"Yes, Sir. On the day of the initial breach, the Survey corp had just returned from an expedition, we had suffered many casualties, but no one was left behind. The Colossal and Armoured Titan appeared nearly three hours later, while we were still travelling back to our Marian Headquarters. Then at Trost, our situation was reversed. We were on an expedition and was miles away from Wall Rose when the Colossal broke the outer gate. This would rule out any scouts who were enlisted before Trost, as they had no opportunity to launch such an attack."

"Initially the attack on Trost was nearly identical to Shiganshina. The Colossal appeared outside the wall and kicked in the outer gate, allowing for Titans to enter the city. The next stage would have been for the Armoured to shift and then break down the inner gate, forcing us to fall back to Sina."

"However, something must have prevented them from changing, something which wouldn't have affected them last time. At first, I assumed this to be Eren and the reveal of his power, but the timing doesn't work. The battle had been raging for nearly an hour before the first confirmed sighting of Eren's titan, so that wouldn't have stopped them."

"The other difference between the two attacks was the implementation of the Breach Defense Plan. With the Garrison divided between the van and rearguard, the 104th was broken into squads and spread over the rest of the city. The shifter would have been surrounded by people who knew them, and as the Titans reached deeper into the city the cadets were forced to regroup, preventing the shifter from sneaking away unnoticed."

"That doesn't prove it was someone from the 104th. It could have been a member of the garrison, after all, many of the surviving soldiers from Shiganshina were folded under the Trost garrison, and they would have faced the same issues preventing them from changing." Nile countered, still doubtful.

"The Armoured can't be one of mine, regardless of their original posting." Pixis jumped in, to protect his regiment's reputation. "Whoever they are is now a member of the Survey corp, and I haven't received a single division transfer request in two years."

Erwin nodded at the aged Commander's words. "A member 104th is the only possible option. They are the only ones who could have been at Shiganshina, were in Trost and had the opportunity to join the scouts. The Colossal is another matter however, they could be almost anyone; garrison, MP, civilian or scout. It's unlikely we will be able to confirm their identity until we've found the Armoured."

Nile grimaced at the reminder the Colossal was still uncounted for, but he couldn't find any fault in Erwin's words. At least something good came out of his humiliation at the 104th graduation ceremony, he dreaded to think what would happen if the Armoured had joined his regiment.

Zachary frowned as he considered Erwin's claim. It did make sense, but that didn't mean he had to like it. "So, if it is a 104th graduate, how did you cut it down to six? You had one the largest intakes in the corps history from this class, am I right?"

"Yes, that is true. 40 members of the 104th signed up, but only 33 survived the recent expedition, so it was just as case of profiling those who remained. For the shifter to successfully infiltrate our society, they would have to prevent us from easily cross-checking their origins; likely claiming to have lost their homes and been orphaned during the breach, and then living as a refugee before enlisting. That would explain their lack of paperwork or other official records before the fall."

"There are six people in the 104th who matched these criteria. We can't be sure which of these people may be genuine, but I took the opportunity yesterday to divide these suspects into two groups and isolated them in separate locations. Once this meeting is concluded, with your authorisation, I will take Eren and strike at each location, quietly apprehending the suspects without the shifter knowing until it's too late."

"Very well. Until we know exactly who the Armoured is, I want all six in chains before the day is out. Now, who are they?" Zachary demanded; his voice cold and hard. Pixis and Nile leaned forward, keen to find out who was responsible for all the death and destruction that had been inflicted on humanity.

"Our primary suspects are Bertholdt Hoover, Reiner Braun, Ar…"

A growing commotion outside the room drowns out the rest. Raised voices could be heard from the corridor and the four men could hear the heavy footfalls of someone rushing towards the office.

They turned to look at the door, unsure about what was disturbance was about. It was answered seconds later as the office door was thrown open and Anka Rheinberger, Pixis's right-hand woman and second in command, quickly stormed in with a foreboding look on her face.

"Apologies for intruding, but…" Anka swallowed thickly, before continuing. Whatever it was had left her visibly shaken. "But the Armoured Titan has been spotted within Wall Rose."

All four of them were silent, momentarily stunned at the unexpected news. It ends quickly as Pixis surges up to his feet, deceptively fast for a man his age.

"When was it spotted and has Wall Rose been breached?" he demanded to know.

Anka shook her head "We just received a message from Hermina. Approximately 30 minutes ago the soldiers stationed there reported some kind of lightning strike several miles south-west of the city and spotted the Titan using a telescope. We've had no reports of any breaches at this time."

Pixis silently cursed the delay in communication. 30 minutes was a long time when dealing with titans; humanity had lost Shiganshina and Wall Maria in half that time. He turned back to his fellow commanders and tried to make some light of this situation, "Well, I guess this all but proves the shifter theory. After all, an actual Titan couldn't have such dramatic timing."

The dry comment was enough to shake the other three out of their stupor. Zachary drew himself to his full height, cutting a very commanding figure, and started firing off orders to his three most senior officers.

"Erwin, get Yeager out of that cell and take as many troops as you need. Capture the shifter if possible, but if not… terminate them. Pixis, I want the garrison mobilised to defend the southern and western districts, and be ready to assist the scouts if they need it. Nile, start the evacuating procedures and get as many people into Wall Sina as possible, we must consider the possibility of a breach."

"Get moving Gentlemen. The fate of humanity may be resting upon us, let us not be found wanting."

* * *

Hermina District – Wall Sina

12:31 pm

They were pushing their specially bred horses to the limit as they charged out of the capital and thundered back into Hermina, hoping they wouldn't be too late. With most of the Survey corp spread out within Wall Rose and no time to gather them together, Pixis had offered Erwin one of his rapid response squads to assist them while the rest of his regiment was getting prepared.

When Erwin had told his three scouts what had happened, Eren didn't want to believe it. The possibility that one of his fellow trainees, one of his friends, was the Armoured Titan made his head spin.

'_How? Why?!'_

He hesitated slightly as the cell door was pulled open, could he really fight someone he had trained and bonded with for years? Even if it was one of the trainees he hadn't been overly close to, he had shed blood, sweat and tears with all of them. That was a type of bond not easily broken.

As he stepped out, Petra placed a hand on his arm and gave it a quick squeeze. "Are you ready for this, Eren?"

Was he? He might have to kill someone he knew, and cared about.

"_And I promise you Eren, next time we find that monster, we'll kill it together. For them."_

'_No,'_ Iron resolve fill his body as he remembered what Petra had said, what they had promised each other. _'If the Armoured Titan is someone I know, they forfeited the right for mercy or compassion when they destroyed Wall Maria and slaughtered my squad.' _

Eren clenched his hands into fists and felt his heart harden toward his foe, whoever it may be. After everything they had done, to him and to humanity, they weren't human anymore. They were just a piece of shit Titan playing pretend.

And like all Titans, Eren would put them down.

"I'm ready."

They rode hard through the district, the horse's hooves relentlessly clattering against the paved streets. Strangely though, that seemed to be the only noise that could be heard in what had been a busy city only a few hours ago.

The sighting of the Armoured Titan had come from here, so Erwin fully expected to see terrified civilians running around, trying to protect their families or valuables. But instead it was quiet; no screaming, no crying children and no ringing of the evacuation bells. Nothing.

He couldn't shake the growing sensation of _wrongness _he felt as they moved closer and closer to the outer gate.

Shops selling jewellery worth more than his yearly salary were empty, doors left ajar for anyone to walk in and loot. Market stalls selling the finest meats and vegetables had been abandoned, allowing flies and other pests to swarm over the produce.

A well-groomed dog darted across the street, grabbing a sausage off a stall before diving into an alleyway and out of sight. There was no sign of the owner.

It was like the whole city had been emptied, but they hadn't passed any fleeing crowds as they approached the district. Had the whole city been evacuated underground?

'_Unlikely, even if the abandoned underground cities had enough space, it doesn't explain where all the soldiers are.' _

When they turned the final corner onto the straight before the gate, the sensation becomes almost overwhelming.

The gate was sealed shut, but there wasn't a single soldier in sight. The lifts lay immobile at the base of the wall, already loaded with barrels of gunpowder, gas canisters, and spare blades, ready to be lifted the 50m to the summit. It was like defence preparations had started but for some reason had been forsaken.

Erwin raised his fist, bringing their mad charge to a halt. There was something very wrong here.

"Erwin." Levi warns, coming to a halt behind him. He was already gripping one of his sword hilts as his eyes surveyed around the area. He could sense it too.

"I know." His hands tighten around the reins. He knew something was about to happen but wasn't sure what.

"What the hell?! Where is everyone?" the leader of the garrison squad, Major Schmidt, said as he pulled up next to Erwin. He was a heavyset man, even larger than Mike, and pushed the upper weight limit for effective 3DM gear usage. But despite this, he had been one of the few soldiers in Shiganshina who managed to kill a titan during the breach.

Schmidt looked like he was about to say something else when a shot rang out. Blood and brain matter splattered across Erwin's face and clothes as the major's head exploded in a red mist. The force of the blast sent the now headless body flying.

Before he could even process what had happened, something crashed into his side, knocking him to the ground as a second shot rang out. Erwin felt something burning hot pass just over his head, singeing some of his hair just before he landed. Schmidt's horse let out an agonised screech and collapsed after being hit with the bullet meant for him.

Levi rolled off him and leapt to his feet, pulling both blades from their holsters. He glared at a figure on the nearby roof, his face twisting into a look of unrestrained fury as he recognised who it was.

"Yo, Levi." The man shouted, leering down at them with a sadistic smile. The two smoking guns he held told them all he was responsible for the Garrison Officers death and Erwin's near experience.

"You grown any yet?"


	19. The Ripper and the Shadow King

"_Petra! Get Eren over the wall and regroup with the corp. Focus on the Armoured Titan." Erwin shouted at her, getting back on his feet._

_Levi had already launched himself at the gunman, hurling his blade like a spear. It bounced off the armoured breast pad but gave Levi time to close the gap between them. He got close but had to dodge away when another shooter fired at him. _

_More than a dozen men and women now surrounded them, all with the same strange equipment the original gunman was wearing._

"_Commander!?"_

"_GO!" he roared, taking off to assist Levi in the fight._

_They both turned and kicked their horses onwards. If they could get away from this ambush, Petra could use her gear to carry Eren over the wall. That's even if they could getaway._

"_He's over there. After him!"_

_A squad of shooters chased after them, their unusual 3DM gear allowing them to swing with across the city with one pistol while leaving them free to fire with the other._

_Bullets peppered the ground around them, smashing the cobblestone and throwing broken fragments into the air. They made a hard-right turn, only just dodging the next barrage fired at them._

"_Idiot! We need him alive, use the tranq."_

"_I can't get a clear shot. The other one is in the way." _

"_Fuck it, just bag both of them."_

"_Petra! What do we do?!" Eren shouted, taking a quick look over his shoulder at the half dozen men pursuing them. He saw a few of them switching out their pistol's barrel and levelling it toward them._

"_Get to the wall! I'll carry you ove-UGH!" Petra's clamped a hand over her neck and toppled off her horse like a sack of potatoes._

"_PETRA!" Eren pulled back on the reins and brought his hand to his mouth when something hard and sharp impacted against his chest. Dumbfounded, he looked down at the needle sticking through his jacket._

"_No..." he choked out, as a burning sensation centred around the needle rapidly spread through his body, sapping all his strength. _

_Eren slipped off his horse and was unconscious before he even hit the floor._

* * *

'_If you want to save Mikasa… Armin… All of them… Then you have to learn how to control this power.'_

"Wakey wakey, Eren."

"Dad?" Eren slurred out, the memory of his father's last words strangely clear in his foggy mind.

"Ha! I fucking hope not. Don't want no bastards running around…" the voice snorted in derision, and Eren could feel the hot breath against his face. The faint whiff of alcohol made his insides curl.

With great difficulty, Eren's eyes slowly opened. The drugged haze started to dissipate, and he finally saw the person crouched in front of him.

It was the gunman from Hermina, the one who killed the Garrison officer and almost shot Commander Erwin. "There you go, I wasn't sure if you'd been overdosed. Nasty stuff that, bit too much and it can scramble the brain, but just the right amount and it can knock out a horse."

Eren tried to lunge at him, planning on scratching his eyes out with his bare hands. Unfortunately for Eren, the multitude of chains and restraints wrapped around his body had him firmly pinned to the wall.

The man smiled at his helplessness and gave Eren a mocking pat on the head, "Wooh there Titan boy, stop struggling. You don't want to be doing any of that transforming nonsense, now do ya? I mean firstly, you'd just end up crushing yourself down here, but secondly…"

As if on cue, a door opened in the nearly pitch-black room. The quick burst of light it let in allowed Eren to take in his surroundings; it was another cell, but rather than the 'smooth' brick walls of the military prison this one seemed to be dug straight into the earth, the natural stone left exposed and jagged. The open door was the only man-made object in sight.

A woman walked in, pushing a hooded figure forward, causing them to stumble. They struggled to right themselves with the heavy iron manacles tightly secured around their wrists. But before they could, the woman kicked the back of their leg, forcing them to kneel before Eren and the man.

The slight of the slightly bloodied scout jacket they wore caused Eren's heart to sink.

'_No… not her as well.'_

His captor stood up, brushing some dust off his black trench coat and strutted over to the woman. At the man's nod, she roughly yanks off the hood.

"Mhhgh! Mhgh!" Petra tries to speak, but the gag stuffed in her mouth prevents her from doing so.

"Petra!" At the sight of his teammate being dumped in his cell, Eren immediately abandoned any inkling he had of transforming. He refused to kill someone he cared about just so he could potentially escape, even if that's what the man was banking on.

"Mhhghen!"

"Aw, they're trying to talk to each other, ain't that cute. Caven, help her out."

The woman, Caven, untied Petra's gag and drops it to the floor.

"Bastards! Who the hell are you?! Eren are you alr…" is all she manages to get out before the man grabs her face, forcing her mouth shut.

"Tsk, if you're gonna rude I'm not gonna let you chat. Now listen up, my 'employer' has some questions for you Titan boy, and you're going to answer them." He pulls out a knife from inside his coat, "Normally I would just torture the information out of you, and while your healing abilities would make that very interesting, I don't want you turning titan on me, so we're gonna try something else."

Quick as a flash, the knife slashes against Petra's cheek, carving a straight line from her jaw to underneath her eye.

Petra cried out into his hand, and Eren erupted in a fury, screaming out curses and threats at the man with a vengeance.

He smirked in reply. "If you don't answer the questions; this pretty little thing gets a new scar. You answer with a lie; I'll cut a something off. You keep lying; well, I have some truly fucked up people in my team, so I'm sure we can think of some other ways to make her suffer. Understand?"

At Eren's furious glare, the man frowned and slowly ran the knife once more across Petra's cheek, splitting the flesh like it was an overripe fruit. "You really wanna test me, boy?"

At Petra's pained whimper, Eren tore his gaze away from the psychotic murderer, breaking eye contact and bowed his head slightly in submission.

"Good, at least you're not a complete moron. See Caven, even Titans can be tamed if you use a firm hand." He pulled the knife away and flicked the blood on the blade towards Eren. The specks burnt against his skin like boiling water.

Caven let out a snort, then gestured toward the door. "Of course, Captain. Shall I bring _him_ in, or are you still having fun?"

"Nah, I think they get it now. Go get him."

She exited the cell with a nod, leaving Petra and Eren alone with the man. An oppressive silence filled the cell as the man leaned against one of the stone walls, spinning the still bloody knife between his fingers.

"Ya know," he started, focusing on the spinning knife, "I've killed a lot of people in my time, with a lot of different things. I once killed three men in a bar with only a spoon, but there's nothing quite like getting up close and personal with a knife."

He tossed it up in the air and caught it with practised ease.

"Guns are too quick; just point, shoot, dead. It's boring. You can't savour all the... little emotions; the fear, the desperation, the helplessness. You see, in their last moments, people show you who they really are. Most are cowards, but I do wonder what kind of person you two are."

"Who…" Petra coughed, spitting out some of the blood which had dribbled into her mouth, and grimacing at the pain. "Who are you?"

"Well girlie, since the two of us are going to be getting _real_ close soon if Titan boy plays dumb, the name's Kenny, although most people know me simply as 'The Ripper'. A pleasure to meet you."

Petra's blood ran cold, and her heart felt like it was suddenly encased in ice. The Ripper was an infamous serial killer, who's killings were so numerous and widespread that not even the government-controlled newspapers could avoid reporting on. She didn't even know if he was real or just an urban myth, to have killed so many people yet never been caught.

What did this murderer want with them, and where did he get that strange gear? There's no way a criminal like him to get access to a standard set of 3DM gear, let alone whatever he was wearing in Hermina.

Something wasn't adding up here.

"Levi and the corp will come for us. They won't stop until they find us." She hoped she sounded braver than she felt, but the slight waver in her voice didn't fool anyone.

Kenny's laughter echoed through the barren cell, bouncing off the walls and assaulting them from every direction. "You think Levi would come for you? You his side piece or something?" he seemed genuinely amused at the notion.

"I taught that little runt everything he knows, so he knows better than to piss me off. Oh, from that dumb look on your face I see he never told you about me. Well, that's just plain rude; you raise a little brat, and he doesn't even tell his girlfriend about you. What's this world coming to…" He span the knife once more, chuckling to himself as he did so.

That confession stunned both of them; this killer raised Levi? That couldn't be right, Levi might be stubborn and rude, but he was nothing like this sick, twisted man.

But a treacherous voice in Petra's head reminded her than in all the years she had known Levi he hadn't once mentioned his childhood, or anything before he joined the scouts.

And she couldn't deny that Levi had a darker side that he often kept hidden behind his nonchalant attitude; a pool of anger and fury which roiled deep inside him.

Could Kenny be telling the truth?

"You know Captain Levi?" Eren couldn't stop himself from asking.

"He's a Captain now is he? If you told me that when I first met the runt, I would have laughed in your face, then slit your throat for bullshitting me. Funny story really; there I was in this real scummy brothel, visiting someone important and you know what I find in that room? That little bastard, half-starved and knocking on death's door." Kenny snorted, "Humanity's strongest soldier. Give me a break, he only survived because he's an Ack…"

The rest of Kenny's story was cut off by the cell door opening and someone new stepping in.

However, unlike Kenny in his black trench coat and bowler hat, this man was wearing an expensive three-piece suit, a large top hat. His slightly protruding belly screamed non-military for even in the MPs such physically laxity was not permitted.

As he stepped closed Eren nodded he was nearly a whole head shorter than Kenny, barely coming up to the man's shoulders. From a quick look, Eren believed this new person to be even shorter than Armin, perhaps even Krista.

Peculiarly, he wore a single black leather glove on his right hand, the last two fingers curled inwards, out of sight.

The man walked past Petra and Kenny without a second glance, his attention solely focused on the pinned titan shifter. He came to a stop in front of Eren, staring down at him intently as if he was searching for something in the boy's face.

Whatever it was he was searching for he didn't find, as the corners of his mouth twisted into a frown.

"Is this the one? He doesn't look anything like _him_." He spoke sharply, tearing his piercing gaze away to look at Kenny. The man's voice took Eren by surprise, his upper-class accent and fancy clothes screamed Sina nobility.

Who was he, and what did he want?

"You know of any other Titans within the scouts?" was Kenny's sarcastic reply.

If the man was offended or annoyed at this behaviour, he didn't show it. Instead, he turned back to Eren and took a step closer.

"You are Eren Yeager. The only child of Grisha and Carla Yeager, born 14 years ago in Shiganshina." It wasn't a question.

"Who the hell are you?" Eren spat at the man's feet, somewhat creeped out but still furious at what Kenny had done to Petra.

The man carried on as if Eren had never spoken. "Four years ago, on the day Wall Maria was breached my family was attacked. Using the power of the Titans, a single man wiped out my family. My three daughters, two sons and my wife. Devoured and crushed under hand and foot, while I could do nought but watch."

"But then, not content with his butchery of innocent children, he stole a great power that has been in my family for generations."

"I searched, for years, to discover that man's identity, but all I had to go on was his face and a claim to have come from beyond the walls. My search only led from one dead end to another, and I began to lose hope. But then you appeared in Trost, also wielding the power of a Titan."

"I looked into you, and your family, and do you know what I found? Buried in the military archives, there was a single report, written 17 years ago, listing the discovery of a man outside Wall Maria. A man who claimed to have lost all of his memories, except for his name."

His hands, both gloved and free, curled into fists.

"Grisha Yeager, your father."

"W…what?" Eren stammered out. How was that possible? His father was a doctor, not a killer. And surely, he would have said something if he had come from outside the walls.

The man continued, yet again ignoring Eren's question. "And then it all made sense, I realised it was all linked. Your father infiltrated the walls, murdered my family and stole the power of the founder before he must have passed it down to you. Perhaps he wished for you to use its abilities, or maybe his tenure was up, but his treasonous plot was all for nothing, as only someone of my bloodline can use its immense power."

Had the man not had his back to Kenny, he might have seen the killer look up sharply, with pursed lips and narrowed eyes. He didn't look happy to hear that.

"Your father may be dead, and his plot at an end, but I know he was working with at least two other people. Several months ago, they attacked me and…" his gloved fist seemed to tighten even further, the leather stretching nearly to breaking point. "And they stole something else from me. I want their names now!"

Eren's mind was reeling at this bombardment of information. None of it made sense; His father was a shifter, and what did the man mean by tenure? What the hell was a 'founder' and who were these 'others'?

"What are you on about? What other people?!" Eren snarled at the man. Had they really been kidnapped by some rich arsehole noble who was clearly fucking insane? He and Petra were needed by the corp to stop the Armoured Titan, not sit here and listen to this lunatic.

"You believe they will come to your aid, and rescue you? Your loyalty to them is misplaced, boy. No one will find you here." The noble bit out.

Patience at an end, Eren snapped at the man. "Listen to me you moron, we don't have time for your shitty tales. The Armoured Titan is roaming about inside Wall Rose, and I am the only one who can stop it! Let us go right now, or humanity might lose Rose!"

The man shared a quick look with Kenny. While the serial killer still looked annoyed from earlier, he raised an eyebrow and gave the smallest shrug to the man's unspoken question.

"The Armoured Titan and Wall Rose are of no concern to me; both will be dealt with later. But if you wish to keep their identities hidden from me, then so be it. Your friend shall suffer for your stubbornness, Kenny?" the man waved with his exposed hand, locking eye contact with Eren.

Petra yelled out as Kenny slammed her down on the ground and knelt on her back. She tried to struggle and kick out, but Kenny pressed one hand over the side of her head and forced it against the hard stone.

Her yells turned to screams as Kenny started cutting into her face once more, moving the blade as if it was a pencil on paper. He wasn't just slicing her cheek anymore; he was carving something into it.

"NO! STOP IT!" Eren cried out, trying to fight against the chains holding him as Petra's tortured screams echoed in his ears. They were secured so tightly against the wall he could barely move an inch, only bruising himself as the chains dug into his flesh.

"Give me their names!" the man shouted back, wincing slightly at how loud the screams were in this small room.

"I DON'T KNOW, HE DIDN'T TELL ME ANYTHING!"

"He passed the greatest power in history onto you, and you expect me to believe he told you nothing?" he scoffed but lifted his hand once more.

The screaming abrupted stopped, as Kenny grabbed Petra by the hair and forced her back up onto her knees. He twisted her head, presenting Eren with her gory cheek, blood pouring from the crude KE and half an N he had etched into it.

The tears of pain that escaped Petra's eyes mixed in the blood, as they trailed down her face.

"You know what happens if you lie again, boy." Kenny calmly stated, before savagely yanking Petra's head back and forcing her to look up at him with tear-filled eyes. "Left or right ear, scout; Which do you prefer?"

"No, don't!" Eren begged the men, his throat raw from the shouting. "Please… he didn't tell me anything. He just… Fuck, I don't know what he did, but he gave me this power and I never saw him again. I barely remember anything of that night!"

The portly man cut off Kenny's reply. "Tell me the last thing you remember about your father, usurper."

"It was just him in a forest. He didn't mention anyone, he just kept telling me I needed to control this power. That's all, I swear."

"That's all you remember? Well, I suppose memory loss during the transfer is common." He mused out loud before his expression morphed into a hard glare. He tore the glove off, revealing a mutilated hand; completely missing both the little and ring finger and the top of his middle. Each looked as if it had been sliced off.

"Well, I can fix that. Let me show you your father's sins." He spat out before jabbing a single finger against Eren's forehead.

* * *

Petra watched, horrified, as Eren's body started to twitch and spasm, then jerk against the restraints. The movements became so violent small wisps of steam began to appear from where the metal ground against his skin.

"Stop it!" she yelled; the agony from her facial injury momentarily forgotten. "You're hurting him."

The man ignored her and pressed harder as if he was trying to poke a hole straight into Eren's brain. The choking sounds that escaped through Eren's clenched jaw soon turned into a guttural screaming which filled the cell.

"Leave him alone, you bastard!" Petra tried to surge forward, wanting to tackle the man away from Eren, to stop whatever it was he was doing, but Kenny held her firm. His fingers still gripped her long hair, preventing her from moving, and worse, forcing her to watch.

After a few more torturous seconds, the man yanked his finger away as if he had touched something red hot. As soon as the physical connection was broken Eren fell utterly limp, the deafening screaming giving way to the sounds of his shallow breathing.

Slipping the glove back on, the man brushed down his jacket and looked down his nose at the unresponsive Eren, "Once my wayward daughter is returned, your stolen power shall be returned to its rightful owners, and your father's scheme will have failed. Think about his crimes and accomplices, and know that when you tell me their names, I will ensure your last few days will be more comfortable."

He turned to Petra; lips curled in disgust. "Scout, if I were you, I would make sure the boy reveals their names. If he doesn't, you will suffer for it as well."

She glared back, eyes still burning from the pain. She balled up saliva and blood in her mouth and spat it onto the man's shoes.

"Go to hell!"

The reaction was immediate. The noble stepped back, looking repulsed while Kenny, not having released his hold on her hair, gave a solid kick to her back, causing her to fly forward and smacking her head on the floor, robbing her of consciousness.

"Was that necessary Kenny? I had other things I wanted to say."

Kenny looked down at the two unresponsive captives, then to the clump of torn ginger hair still in his hand. "No, but it amused me, and she had heard what she needed to." He brushed the hair from his hand onto the floor, leaving it for her to find when she awakens before turning and exiting the cell, without another word.

The other man gives a tired sigh and with one backward glance to Eren, follows Kenny out of the cell.

Petra didn't know how long she had been unconscious for, but when her she woke up Kenny and the unknown man were gone, and the burning agony of her face had dulled to a merely painful throbbing. Reluctantly, she traced her fingers over the injury, feeling what felt vaguely like letters that had been cut into her face.

When she pulled her fingers away, she saw they were caked in blood. If it hadn't dried by now, she can't have been out too long. The top of her head also hurt, but when probing at that injury, she found it was too tender to even brush against. It felt like a whole chunk of her hair had been ripped out of her scalp.

That idea was proven right when she noticed a lock of her hair laying behind her. _'Bastard.'_ she thought bitterly.

She looked over to Eren who was still lying limp in his chains, the slight rise and fall of his chest the only sign of life. With her head still spinning from the heavy blow, she crawled forward, slowing pushing herself to her knees in front of him.

"Eren, are you alright? Look at me."

When he didn't respond, she reached for his chin and after hesitating for a moment, tilted his head up.

His usually bright green eyes were dull and unfocused, but that wasn't what stole the breath from Petra's lungs. It was the nine brilliant white streaks radiating out of his dilated pupil, that moved and pulsated like a heartbeat. The streaks momentarily flared when she touched him but quickly died back down.

She was strangely entranced by the lights, she couldn't explain it, but it felt as if there was a strange connection between those lines and her very soul.

"It hurts." Petra nearly jumps out of her skin at whispered words. She had been so captivated by white streaks she had almost forgotten her intention to make sure Eren was alright. His voice sounded completely different from its normal tone; It was strained and sounded older, much older.

She shuffles closer and cradles his head, not sure of what was happening to him, or what they should do now. They were trained to fight titans, not people. They didn't need to resist torture or how to escape captivity, but now they were facing both.

"They'll come for us, Eren. I know they will." She murmurs aloud, not sure if she's trying to reassure Eren or herself. "We just have to stay strong."

* * *

Many days Later

For what felt like the thousandth time Petra ran a finger over the scratched lines on the wall.

With no natural light in the cell, constant beatings and random interrogations, they had long since lost track of time. The hours and days merged together in a blur of pain, hunger and suffering.

Food had become a rarity for them now, a single plate of mouldy scraps was the only thing they had eaten since they got here. Both of them were starting to waste away as their captors held them on the verge of starvation. Every day it became harder to stay awake and active as their bodies started to run dry of energy and were beginning to breakdown muscle and fat to survive. Sometimes even moving from one side of the cell to the other could be exhausting.

Their clothes were filthy, and the stench of stale blood, sweat and bile clung to them like a disease. Petra wasn't even wearing her own shirt anymore, one of the guards had taken it, claiming it needed to be washed clean of the blood, but then 'forgot' to bring it back, leaving only her midriff scout jacket behind to cover herself.

Eren had given her his shirt, leaving him wearing only his jacket but denying the guards the opportunity to perv on her. She was incredibly grateful for that, being able to maintain at least some level of dignity in this hellhole meant more to her than she cared to admit.

They had both received a beating for that, but at least they didn't take any more of her clothing.

The only semi-regular occurrence during their captivity was the brackish water the guards forced down their throats to keep them alive, if only just. So that is what she used to keep track of time.

Ten forced drinks, ten scratched lines.

Had that been the number of days since their capture? She didn't know, but it already felt like they had been here for weeks.

At first, she believed that the corp would come for them, that Levi and the Commander would find them.

But with each new line, Petra found herself doubting it more and more. She had no way of knowing if they were even still alive; they could have been killed in that ambush and the corp would have no idea they had been kidnapped.

Hell, she didn't even know if the corp was still alive. Without Eren what hope did they have against the Armoured Titan? Blades are mostly useless against that thing so unless the female titan appeared again, there wasn't much the scouts could do. Especially if the Commander and Levi were gone.

With difficulty, she pushed those dark thoughts away and glanced over her shoulder at Eren, who was once again pinned to the wall. At least she could move about the cell at will with only her hands restrained, but the guards took some sick pleasure in forcing Eren to stay in that squatted position for hours on end with a metal gag stuck in his mouth.

Between the hunger, abuse and whatever that fat man had done to him, Petra could see that Eren was staring to break too. He had lost weight and frequently drifted between bouts of severe anxiety and depression to times when he's almost catatonic. He was more lucid when the gag was removed, and they could speak normally but would close in on himself whenever she brought up his father or what the man had said.

Neither of them could take much more of this, and it didn't look like help was coming. But there was a single ray of hope in the darkness; at first, there had always been two guards they entered the cell, even if one just leaned against the wall and laughed as the other beat or whipped them, but recently there was only one.

Maybe Kenny believed they were too weak to give a single guard trouble, and in truth they probably were, but if they took them by surprise… Well, they might just have a chance.

Weaken by the lack of food and her numerous infected injuries, primarily the vicious scarring on her cheek, Petra stumbles towards Eren and slumps down beside him. She fought the urge to lean against him and sleep, as they so often did when sitting in this position to share body heat in the frigid cell.

"Eren," she spoke to him in a hushed tone, barely audible even from a few inches away.

They had learnt early on that the thick wooden door to their cell wasn't soundproof. If they spoke too loudly the guard would overhear, and report what they said to Kenny.

Her ribs still hurt from the kicking she received the first time she mentioned the word 'escape' out loud.

"I don't know if the corp is coming for us, but we can't stay here much longer. I have a plan, but it's incredibly risky. There's a chance we won't make it."

Risky would be an understatement and calling it a plan was exceptionally generous. But in Petra's mind, it was better than wasting away in a dungeon, waiting for rescue which may never arrive. She would rather die trying to escape than live as a broken prisoner.

She whispered the plan into Eren's ear, and after a long piercing stare, he nodded.

* * *

Unlike some people, Errol Foster loved his job as a soldier of the 1st Interior Squad.

He loved the power it gave him, to act above the law with impunity. He loved the money and the top of the line equipment they received. In his twisted mind, he was practically royalty compared to the rest of humanity, and he wouldn't change that for the world.

Sure, the captain was a psychotic serial killer who had killed hundreds of people. And yes, sometimes he got stuck with the boring jobs, like having to guard and 'take care' of some prisoners, but he always made the best of it.

The first few days of a new prisoner is always the most fun, they struggle and fight back, believing that through sheer grit and defiance they can survive. But after a few days of limited food and water and frequent beatings, they start to learn that acting up will only lead to more suffering.

That's the stage when things start to get boring. Eventually, prisoners stop fighting back and start doing as they're told, when they're told. But Errol was an imaginative man, he found other ways to keep things interesting.

He had limited the amount of food they got since they arrived, so they would be weak and starving by now. He had kept a prisoner without food for much longer before, but with two prisoners, it opened up new avenues of amusement.

Picking up some mouldy bread, he tore it in half and threw the larger piece away. Only one of them would be eating today; maybe he'd make them fight over it or just force one to watch the other eat. A cruel smile appeared on his face as he pictured all the different ways he could torment them.

"I love my job." He mentally patted himself on the back for joining up with the interior squad.

The pistol fitted snuggly in his hand would surely be enough to stop either prisoner from doing something stupid.

It takes a second for his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the cell when he unlocks the door and steps in. The titan brat was still where he left him, pinned to the wall. But rather than the empty look he usually had, the boy was struggling against the chains and trying to speak around his metal gag, all while pointedly staring at the other prisoner.

She was lying face down, unmoving on the dirty stone floor.

He looks upon the women, taking in the curves of her body as she laid there. It was a shame really, she was undoubtedly attractive, even with the mark Kenny left on her, but Errol knew they couldn't keep her. Once the brat was gone, she would no longer be of use to them.

Yet until that day came, she had to be kept alive and not _too_ badly hurt.

Lazily, he strolled over and poked her with his foot, "Wake up sweetheart, it's dinner time."

She didn't respond.

"Oi, didn't you hear me? You wanna eat or what?" he gave her a firm kick, wondering if she was sleeping.

Again, there was no reaction.

He felt a small spark of fear in his belly. Captain Ackerman had wanted them docile and broken, not dead. She was needed to keep the boy compliant, and if she died under his watch, Kenny would kill him.

'_Oh shit.'_

He knelt down, grabbed her shoulder and pulled her around. "I swear to God, if you're fucking me around, neither of you are eating." Is what Errol wanted to say, but what he actually managed was "I swear to Go…", before the 'unconscious' woman suddenly exploded into life.

Using her manacles as a club, Petra swung her arm around smashing the solid lump of iron across the guard's face, breaking his jaw with a sickening crack. The man falls back, trying to scream through his shattered mouth and broken teeth. He wildly kicks out, catching Petra in the chest and fumbles for the pistol which had been knocked out of his hand.

Just as his fingers brush against the handle, it's kicked away clattering across the floor. Eren can't do much in his pinned position, but he could just about reach the gun with his leg. After this singular effort, all he could do now was watch as Petra jumps on top of the man and raises the bloody manacle above her head.

Errol gives a choked cry through a mouthful of blood, a desperate plea for mercy from a woman he spent the last few days torturing. A mercy he did not deserve and would not receive.

The last thing Errol ever sees is a half-starved Petra bringing the heavy, blood-splattered manacle down on his skull with all the strength she could muster.

* * *

For the first time since her internment, Petra was glad that there was no food in her stomach, as it roiled and twisted. The sudden burst of activity and adrenaline had been almost too much for her battered body to handle, especially with the hard kick she caught to the chest.

Feeling something hot and foul rise up her throat, Petra squeezes her eyes shut and turns her head towards the door. The initial wave of sick was solely bile and acid, for any traces of food from her last meal had long since been digested. Although her shrivelled stomach may have been emptied by that first wave, it doesn't stop her body from going through painful dry heaving, as it tries to expel fluid it simply doesn't have.

When the last raw contraction mercifully passes, she wipes a shaking hand across her mouth and turns back to the still guard, finally opening her eyes.

She immediately regretted that decision.

His face had been caved in, his skull not strong enough to resist the force of the blow and the hard stone beneath it. His fingers were still minutely twitching, his ruined brain still trying to send signals down his nervous system, as it fruitless tried to bring life back to a dying body.

Fighting back the urge to throw up again, Petra started to search his body for the keys to their restraints, trying to avoid the blood to little avail. By the time she pulled out the ring of keys and a knife from his inner pockets, her hands had become soaked in blood and other gory matter.

Slumping off the body, she fiddles with the keyring for few moments trying to find the right one. It takes several attempts to find the small silvery key which fitted into the keyhole of her handcuffs. They fall off with a definitive clank against the floor, freeing her hands for the first time since her capture.

She rubs at her raw wrists for a few moments, scratching at the painful abrasions from the endless rubbing of metal on flesh, before moving over to Eren.

It took several minutes to free Eren from his bindings. Several agonisingly slow minutes as her shaking hands, both from psychical exhaustion at the burst of activity and mental anguish at what she had just done, struggled to unlock the many restraints pinning her squad member down.

When the last chain finally gave way Eren collapsed onto his knees, no longer forced to remain in that squatted position he had been trapped in. He tears the gag from his mouth and throws it across the cell.

"Ahh fuck." He spits out, punching the floor as the muscle cramps became too much even for his high pain threshold.

Out the corner of his eye, Eren can see Petra still heavily shaking and notices how pale her gaunt face had become. He had been alarmed when she had thrown up, and his concern for his squadmate was growing by the second. The only other time he had seen her like this was after the failed expedition and the death of her three friends.

"Petra," he asks, "what's wrong?".

"I… I thought the first blow would knock him out. I didn't want to… do that." Her voice is so quiet Eren barely hears it. She stares dead at the wall, refusing to look at the dead guard in the middle of the cell, the pool of blood steadily growing around his ruined head.

Eren regards the body, recognising the guard as one of the particularly cruel ones. He was constantly trying to play them off against each other, making them choose who got beaten up while the other was left 'unharmed'. Eren felt nothing but pure hatred for the man and only regretted not being able to kill the bastard himself.

"If you hadn't, he would have killed you." He grunted out, rubbed his legs as to try and get the blood circulating again.

Petra flinched at Eren's statement. "I know that, but… all my life I believed that soldiers like us served humanity and protected people. How can I call myself a soldier if I've killed someone, Eren?"

"People like him are worse than titans, they choose to be a monster; to be evil and cruel." Now that the tingling sensation in his legs had subsided, Eren stood up and offer Petra his hand.

"Both of us have put down monsters for the betterment of humanity, both titans and humans. We have to; otherwise they would simply go on to hurt others, who might not be able to fight back. That's why you can call yourself a soldier, Petra."

Petra looked up at the shifter; mouth slightly agape. She accepted his offered hand, rising to her feet with Eren's support. "You… you've killed someone as well?"

He nodded. "It was the day I met Mikasa. My father was a doctor and one day he took me with him to meet Mikasa's family, he thought I needed some other friends my age. But when we arrived, we found the bodies of her Mum and Dad." He felt a surge of anger rise within him, as he thought about _that_ day.

"Three scumbags had broken in, killed them and kidnapped Mikasa. Dad told me to stay there while he went to summon the MPs, but even then, I knew those corrupt bastards would take too long to arrive, so I went looking for the murderers myself."

"I found them hiding in an old, abandoned house. They were planning on selling Mikasa into slavery because she's half Asian and not fully Eldian like us. I killed two of the slavers, and Mikasa got the other one. They were monsters, like him. We've both done the world a favour." Eren pointed at the dead guard.

As Petra digested this new information about her teammate, Eren had collected the pistol from across the cell. He held it up, inspecting the small single-shot weapon, trying out its weight.

He had only used a rifle a handful of times during his cadet training but assumed it works in much the same way. Deep breath, point, aim then pull the trigger.

He hoped he wouldn't have to use it after all one bullet won't do much, but having it certainly wouldn't hurt their chances of escape.

"What's an 'Eldian'?" Petra's voice draws his attention away from the gun.

"What?"

"You said the slavers wanted Mikasa because she wasn't fully 'Eldian' like us. What does that mean?"

"It means…" Eren starts before stopping abruptly, his mouth closing with an audible click. He racked his brain for the meaning behind the word but came up empty.

"I… I don't know."

He rubbed his arm, fearing he had started to lose his mind. His mouth was bone dry when he finally confessing something he had kept hidden from Petra, in fear she would think him mad.

"Ever since that man touched me, I keep seeing things. Things that don't make sense. I saw Wall Maria, but from the outside, and I saw what he said about my father and his family. There are flashes of other things as well. Places, people, words."

"None of it makes sense, but that was one of the words I kept hearing, over and over again."

He decided not to tell her about the balloon he had 'seen' floating effortlessly in the sky despite being the size of a house. Then she really would definitely think he'd lost it; such a thing simply wasn't possible.

The hand Petra placed on his shoulder pulls him from those disturbing memories.

"Hey, stay with me Eren. Once we're free we'll figure this all out, about your dad and these memories, okay?" she gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze.

"Come on, let's get out of here."

* * *

Despite their initial worries, the flight from the cell had been far more straightforward than they anticipated. Peeking his head out the door, Eren had expected to find himself face to face with another guard or even Kenny. But, to his relief, the whole area was abandoned.

They crept out of the cell, locking the door behind them as to hide the body should anyone come to check on him. Crouching low, the two scouts starting sneaking through the vast complex they found themselves in, firmly clasping their weapons.

Flickering wall-mounted torches lit up the corridors they moved down, casting strange twisted shadows on the walls as they passed. More than once they had been spooked by their own shadows having to clamp hands over mouths to muffle gasps, as their frayed nerves started to take its toll on them.

After a few minutes of wandering through the eerily deserted passages, they stumbled upon a spiral staircase, which they eagerly ascended. It was clear they were underground, so any route that led up was a route they wanted to follow. They climbed what felt like several stories before they reached a landing. Just how deep underground were they?

This new level of the complex was just as disturbingly quiet as downstairs, but they forged on none the less. As they moved onwards, they passed several rooms; sleeping quarters, a kitchen and even what looked to be a shooting range. If this was the headquarters for Kenny's gang, then they must have been active for a long time or had a substantial source of income to have such a well-developed facility.

They could occasionally see dull candle lights escaping from under doors, or overheard soft snoring, reminding them that this place wasn't as abandoned as it seemed.

It was only after a few more minutes of directionless wandering that their streak of luck came to an end.

"Wait, stop. I hear something." Eren grabbed Petra's arm, stopping them dead in their tracks. Coming towards them from the darkness ahead of them was the sound of footsteps. Multiple people's footsteps.

'_Shit!'_ Petra's eyes dart around, surveying the area and looking for somewhere to hide from the approaching threat. There were very few options in this open passage; they could quickly retrace their steps through the compound and potentially find another route out, but then they ran the risk of getting even more lost.

For a split-second, she contemplates trying to ambush whoever is approaching but quickly dismisses that idea. Any fight in their current status would be laughably one-sided, and even though they had a pistol, it wasn't exactly a subtle weapon.

That left only one option.

"Come on." She grabbed Eren's hand and pulled him forward. Eren started to protest about them walking _towards_ the noise but stopped when Petra grabbed the handle of a nearby door and barged through it, silently praying the room would be empty.

It wasn't.

"Kenny, unless you've found Historia, I thought I asked not to be disturbed." The noble from their first day of captivity sat at a large oak desk, signing something with his maimed hand. He didn't even look up as the door clicked shut, trapping him in with the two escapees.

When no answer was forthcoming, the man puts down his quill and looks up, only to find himself staring directly down the barrel of Eren's handgun.

"Oh."

* * *

"Scream, and you die." Eren pressed the pistol into the fat man's face, fighting the urge to pull the trigger for all the suffering he had inflicted on them, both directly and indirectly.

He had been reluctant to touch the man after the first time, but fortunately, he wasn't bombarded with any more memories when he clamped a hand over the man's mouth. Petra stood to the side of the closed door, a white-knuckled grip on the knife just in case someone walked in.

They could hear the footsteps and the murmur of conversation growing louder as the patrol approached their hiding place.

"…nny going to be pissed."

"Yeah, you know what the Captain thinks about failure. Normon must be shitting himself, especially after last month's fuck up with that merchant."

"Definitely. I'll be surprised if he's still alive and kicking this time tomorrow."

The drone of conversation started to fade away again as the patrol passed the door without issue and carried on down the hallway.

Letting out a breath he didn't realise he was holding, Eren was finally free to turn his attention back to the man and their surroundings. The room was sparsely decorated; a single desk and chair and a small pull-out bed behind it.

The bed was messy and unmade, a sign this man had been staying in this room for some time. Several pairs of shirts and trousers and a single white robe were all laid out on it, ready to be worn when the need arose.

The desk was illuminated by a single candle that had nearly melted down to the base. Next to the man's arm was a large leather bag that bulged out for the amount of paperwork which was stuffed inside. But it was not this that caused Eren's eyes to widen in alarm.

It was the document the man had been signing as they entered.

_**The Charter of Humanity**_

_Article 7_

_Amendment B_

_In the name of His Royal Majesty, King Fritz the Third, Ruler of the three Walls, Rightful sovereign of all Humanity and Defender of the Faith, from this day forth the organisation known as the Survey Corp is to be immediately disbanded as the third arm of Humanity's military._

_By Royal Decree, all assets and equipment belonging to the now-defunct organisation will be divided between the remaining arms, and all non-commissioned troops will be dispersed throughout the Garrison into new squads containing no more than two ex-scouts at a time._

_All Commissioned officers of the corp, including Captains and Section Commanders, are to be immediately imprisoned pending investigation for their role in violating humanity's Charter._

_The Commander of the corp, Erwin Smith, is to be imprisoned, interrogated and then executed for the crimes he has committed, including; Conspiracy against the Crown, Murdering a Garrison Officer, Assisting Eren Yeager in escaping Scout custody and purposefully releasing the Armoured Titan within Wall Rose._

_Any scouts who attempt to escape or resist this decree in any way are to be considered thoroughly in league with their Commander's treason and will subsequently share the same fate._

_Signed in the best interest of Humanity by the Crown Assembly._

Underneath the document were five titles; Chief Advisor, Archbishop of Mitras, Minister of the Treasury, Minister of Defence and High Chancellor, but only one of these had a signature.

Next to the Chief Advisor was a name, the ink still wet from the man's quill. The neat flicks and elegantly curved letters told of a lifetime of carefully signing official documents like this one. But Eren didn't care about this man's history right now, he only cared what his name was.

The name of the man who had caused all their suffering.

The name of the man who seemed to know more about titans than anyone else.

The name of the man whose family had been wiped out by Eren father and somehow made him see it through his father's eyes.

And now he finally had it.

Rod Reiss.

The name causes Eren's blood to boil until it feels like burning oil is pumping through his veins. This man, this inbred aristocratic fuck, had them tortured for days on end, forcing him to watch Petra being disfigured and beaten all because he wanted revenge for something his father had done. And now he was going after the scouts as a whole.

The Commander, Captain Levi, Hanji, Armin, Mikasa, and everyone else. This man wanted to destroy them too.

Eren pulls his hand away from Rod's mouth and grabs his cropped black hair before slamming the man's head down onto the table, hard.

"Eren!" Petra hissed out, alarmed at the noise the impact had made.

He ignored her exclamation, slamming his head down a second time before snatched up the piece of paper and tossed it towards her. She caught the offending document, and as her eyes trailed across each line what little colour remained in her face drained away.

Just how long had they been here, and what had they missed for the Government to try and disband the corp?

"What the fuck is that about, Reiss?" Eren spat out the name like it was poison, yanking his head back. "Trying to frame the corp for what your men did."

Blood pouring from his re-broken nose, Rod looked up at Eren with fearful eyes.

'_Good,' _Eren thought spitefully,_ "You should be afraid, you piece of shit.'_

While Eren went about questioning Rod regarding the document, Petra started looking through his bag looking for more information regarding their regiment. The fact the decree mentioned Commander Erwin by name meant he must be still alive at least, and that hopefully meant Levi was too.

It was ironic really that the only good news they had received in all this time, came from something outlining the worst news.

Most of the paper she pulled out was related to Rod's estates and other government documents, which she dumped on the floor, but there was nothing related to the corp. She dug deeper into the bag until she grabbed something that wasn't paperwork.

When she pulled out a small glass bottle and a metal case Rod went deathly pale and lunged toward her, uncaring of the pistol held against his head. He was wildly swinging his arms, trying to snatch the objects away when Eren slammed him down on the table once more.

"Don't move you piece of shit." Eren growled out before looking at the two objects Petra held. "What's that?"

Ignoring the struggling Rod, she held the sealed bottle up to the candlelight, witnessing a viscous blue liquid sloshing about inside. "It's some kind of liquid. It's blue."

She turned it over and read the brown paper label. Only part of the text was legible to her, the rest was filled with symbols and markings she had never seen before. Was it another language?

"The label says 'Armour'. I can't read the rest."

"And that?" Eren nodded toward the case, leaning more heavily on Rod as to prevent further struggling.

After placing the small bottle into her jacket pocket, she unclipped the metal case and gently lifted the lid. Inside was another sealed container with the same bluish liquid, this time labelled 'Strongest', along with a large syringe and needle.

Petra furrowed her brow in confusion. It was clearly an injection for the blue liquid, but what did it do? And what do the labels mean?

"It's another bottle, but this one has a syringe."

They looked at each other, both wondering what this stuff was and why it had caused Rod to wildly throw himself at Petra. Surely, he must have known it wouldn't work, so what caused him to try something so recklessly stupid?

"What is that stuff?" Eren demanded, pressing the gun into the back of Rod's head and gesturing toward Rod's mutilated hand. "My father's _friends_ did that to your hand, right? Well if you don't talk, I'll finish the job!"

After a tense few seconds, Rod relented. "God." He whispered, almost reverently. "It's the power to bring back a God."

"You want to lose more fingers, Reiss? Stop speaking in riddles."

"This mission is my destiny. I will ensure my daughter takes the founder from your body and is reborn as a God. You are nothing compared to what she will become."

Eren went to smack the pistol over Rod's head when Petra stopped him.

"Leave it Eren. He's clearly mad." Having finished looking through the bag and finding little else of interest, Petra abandoned the whole thing on the floor and pocketed the metal case. While Rod's mad ramblings about a 'God' wasn't informative at all, it was clear that this stuff wasn't normal and letting him keep it wasn't an option.

"We've already stayed here too long; they'll soon find out we've escaped and will raise the alarm. We have to go."

Rod piped up, realising they were about to leave. "Kenny and two dozen men stand between here and the exit. You'll never get past them, traitors!"

Perhaps the thought of his bodyguards catching them had filled Rod with a misplaced sense of bravery, but all his outburst actually achieved was to assist Petra in deciding what to do with him.

"You're right," she admitted with a shrug. "the two of us probably won't get past all of them."

She grabbed Rod by the collar and hauled him up from the table. Even in her weakened state, she was far stronger than this small arsehole. He audibly gulped when Petra placed her knife against his throat.

"That's why you're coming with us."

* * *

"How fucking hard is it to capture one girl?" Flecks of spittle landing on the cowering soldier's face as Kenny the Ripper leaned over him.

Normon Nobyl was beyond scared at this point. He thought he would be ready to face Captain Ackerman's wrath when he arrived from his failed mission, but that idea had fallen to pieces almost immediately. When Kenny saw he had return empty-handed and alone, he wasn't just mad, he was furious.

"Please, Captain, it wasn't my fault. The scouts… they've been using a body double. We've had reports of sightings all over the place, and when my team went after one, they were ambushed and captured."

"They _what_?" Kenny's razor-sharp reply left the area in deathly quiet, sending a shiver down the spine of everyone who heard it.

"They allowed themselves to be captured alive?" Normon could only nod his head in response, praying that Kenny's rage would be directed at them rather than him.

He would have no such luck.

"Then what the fuck are you doing here? You ain't half the soldier some of your team members were, so either the scouts let you go, which would mean you're probably a traitor, or you ran, which makes you a coward. Which one is it?"

"I…I…" Normon took a step back, wondering if he could make it to the exit.

"_I…I…_" Kenny repeated in a mocking tone, stepping forward and invading the space Normon had created. "I'm waiting."

"Levi was there." He blurts out, raw fear tearing the truth from his mouth. "He's a monster, there was nothin…" Whatever else he planned on saying would be never be heard, as Kenny quickly pulled out his knife and slashed it across the Normon's throat.

Normon collapsed to the floor, hands clawing at his opened windpipe in a futile effort to stem the bleeding.

Less than 20 seconds later, Normon Nobyl was dead. He died suffocating on his own blood.

"I. Do. Not. Tolerate. Cowards in my squad." Kenny announced to his remain soldiers, who stood as still as statues, not wanting to earn the ire of their psychopathic Captain. They watched as Kenny knelt down and clean his knife with the dead man's shirt before putting it away.

"Well played, Levi." The serial killer grumbled to himself, before drawing himself up to his full height. "I'm getting sick and tired of playing cat and mouse with those titan lovers. Caven, I want you to go pay our two 'guests' a visit and make them sing. Enough with the light touches; rip out their tongues or gouge their eyes out if you want, I don't care. I want to know the location of every hideout and bolthole the scouts have. We're going to smoke those vermin out."

"You two," Kenny pointed at two terrified soldiers before kicking the fresh corpse. "go throw this piece of trash out."

"Captain." Caven warned quickly bring up her two pistols and pointing them down the corridor at the approaching trio.

Using Rod as a human-shield Petra pushed forward toward the large group of heavily armed soldiers, with Eren at her back.

This was it, there was no turning back now.

There was the briefest flicker of surprise on Kenny's face before he cracked a wide grin. "Now this is interesting… how'd you wretches get out?"

He cocked his head to the side, noticing the blood on Petra's hands and sleeves. The smile widened.

"I take it that dumbass Errol is dead then. Well damn, I didn't think you'd have it in you. That your first time? Felt good, didn't it?"

Petra's grip on Rod's collar tightened, the fancy material already stained from the cell guard's blood. "Shut up. You try anything, and I'll cut his throat," she shouted at Kenny, bringing up the knife to show her resolve. "Show us the way out and I'll let him live!"

The serial killer raised a single eyebrow at the demand. He didn't care for Rod one bit, especially after finding out he couldn't take and use the founding titan like he intended initially, but he continued to assist the man only because fighting with the scouts, and more specify Levi, was fun and it was the first time he had been challenged by something in years.

"You really need to work on your hostage-taking skills. It's genuinely not a good idea to kill the only thing keeping you alive. Didn't you learn anything from your time downstairs? Always have a spare."

"Kenny! Stop this and free me!" Rod shouted to his 'protector', hoping he would come to his aid. He was thoroughly ignored by everyone present.

"Hush now Rod. Can't you see the adults are talking?" Kenny said as if speaking to a small child.

Petra pressed the tip of the knife against Rod's neck, drawing forth a small trickle of blood. "He's important enough, especially if you serve him. Enough talk, where's the exit?!"

"Bloody amateurs," Kenny muttered aloud, barely stopping himself from laughing. He was right, this was definitely turning out to be highly amusing. "But you gotta start somewhere I suppose…"

After adjusting his hat with a flourish Kenny moved towards the staircase, pushing aside the soldier blocking it. He stopped on the first step and looked back over his shoulder, "Well, you coming or what? I thought you wanted out."

Neither Petra or Eren actually expected Kenny to help, but from the looks of genuine surprise on his squad's faces, and the sudden burst of struggling from their hostage, there was the smallest chance that for whatever reason he was showing them the way out.

While the whole thing screamed 'trap' they had few options but to follow him. His squad parted as they approached, hands resting on weapons but not drawing them. They fell in behind, keeping a reasonable distance away from Eren and the pistol he was brandishing towards them.

They climbed and walked for several minutes, listening to the offbeat tune Kenny was whistling, and the metallic clanking sound his strange 3DM gear made.

Everyone else was silent apart from Rod who had gone red in the face from his repeated shouting. "KENNY! Have you lost your mind?! I order you to stop this farce and free me! Kenny!"

After walking down a final long corridor, they reached a door which was different than the others. Thick metal struts lined it, crossing over one another as to reinforce the door so it couldn't be easily broken.

In the core of the door was a large metal wheel with a keyhole in the centre. Kenny pulled a key from his pocket and inserted it into the wheel, before grabbing it and turning it with one hand.

The whole door seemed to screech like a banshee as the wheel was twisted around, the heavy lock starting to give way. After a few painfully loud rotations there was a loud click, and Kenny took a step back and leant against the wall beside it.

"There you go, the way out." He rapped his knuckles against the door with a smirk. "I even unlocked it for ya. Go on, your freedom awaits."

"Move out the way," Eren demanded, worried that Kenny might lunge at them when they passed.

Kenny did so with a shrug, sliding along the wall and giving them a wide opening. He was still smirking even as they moved towards it.

With a shaky hand, Petra pulls the door open, bracing herself for the blinding light of the sun. Instead, it was dark, perhaps even darker than it had been inside.

'_Is it night-time?' _she thinks to herself, taking a step forward into the dark unknown.

It takes a moment for her eyes to adjust but when they do, she looks around with growing horror and dread.

'_No…'_

Unaware Petra had stopped, Eren bumped into her back nearly knocking her over. "Petra, what…" he span round wondering what had caused her to halt their escape. He sees it immediately and his jaw drops.

They both look around, dumbfounded by what they are seeing. What the hell was this place?

Mocking laughter draws their attention back to the building they had been held in. Kenny was standing in the doorway, arms swung out wide gesturing to the vast cave network around them.

"Welcome to the underground city. The biggest shithole on earth."

He and his squad filled out of the building, standing in a line in front of them. Now their weapons were drawn.

"Tell me," Kenny asked with an insufferable grin "what was the next step in your masterplan? Get outside, turn into a titan then haul ass back to your corp, with him as a hostage?" Rod looked at Kenny with pleading eyes.

That was pretty much their plan, but they could have never anticipated this. They had heard stories of the underground city, but none had done this place justice.

A vast open cavern supported by gargantuan stone columns which twisted into the ceiling like giant fingers. The lights of a thousand candles and small fires illuminated the city, and the natural crystals studded across the cave reflected the light and glistened like stars in the night.

Hastily assembled shacks and brick houses were squeezed together in a desperate attempt to house the vast population of this bizarre metropolitan, forming into clusters of shantytowns each centred around a church spire.

Not even this place had escaped the reach of the wall cult.

There would be nowhere for Eren's titan to escape to or hide, and worst, an enclosed urban area such as this was the perfect environment for 3DM gear.

Taking their similar expression of shock and dismay as a yes, Kenny wiped a fake tear of laughter away.

"Well, this is just a real piece of bad luck for you two, isn't it? Oh well, now it's my turn to make demands. You killed one of my men, and while I don't really care that he's dead, I've got a reputation to uphold. Only I get to kill these fuckers when they fail." He gave a 'friendly' pat on Caven's shoulder.

"Now, let that coward go and get down on your knees right now, and in return, I'll only cut off one of her limbs for this escape attempt." He pointed at Petra with a sadistic smile, "I'll even let you pick which one, to show my admiration at the sheers balls you two had to even try."

"Or you can go ahead and transform, the only way out of this shithole is via the tunnels and a titan won't fit through those. Destroy as much of the city as you'd like, you'd probably be doing the world a favour killing some of the scum that lives here, but once you've exhausted yourself and are no longer able to move, I'll cut you out and drag you both back here. Then, I'll cut off all her limbs and feed them to you one by one, titan boy."

"Your choice."

Both of them knew there was no choice there, there may be no place for them to run or hide, but they had already decided they were never going back in that cell.

They'd rather die.

"Fuck you." Eren spat out and bite down on his hand.

* * *

Across the desolate and impoverished city, hundreds of people were momentarily blinded by a flash of light so intense it lit up the entire cavern. For some, it was the closest thing to sunlight they had ever seen.

Blinking away their temporary blindness, the denizens of the underground looked toward the source in stunned disbelief. From the starving poor to the vicious mob bosses, everyone watched the impossible sight of a titan, mankind's greatest enemy, rising up from a wall of steam.

With one hand cupped to its chest, the Rogue Titan threw its head back and roared.


	20. Deliverance Pt 1

The underground city had never been a peaceful place. Gangs battled each other openly in the streets, fighting over territory, drugs or to settle petty grudges and insults.

The back alleys were filled with the dead and the dying, the bodies of both were stepped over by drug addicts and dealers on their way to the next fix without a second glance.

Walking down any street in the city and you could find cultist priests, preaching of doom and lambasting sin on one corner and the crowd of prostitutes on another; both trying to drown out the other with their words and offers of either a night of comfort or a lifetime of absolution for their wickedness.

The few MPs stationed in the city who weren't part of the interior squad, were so utterly corrupt and lazy that the residents often said you could murder someone in cold blood right in front of an MP and they wouldn't bat an eye as long you slipped them a handful of coins.

Many claimed to have seen such a thing happen; some even boasted of doing it.

The fact the entire city seemed to be frozen in an eerie silence that felt so wholly alien and wrong was a testament to the collective shock that the sudden appearances of a Titan had on the city. But when the Titan roared, its deep bellowing cry which echoed like a thunderstorm, the city roared back.

Not in anger, or in fear. But in absolute, soul-rending terror.

In an instant, the streets closest to the monster were turned into a writhing mass of humanity, everyone trying to flee to whatever safety they could find. People were knocked to the ground and trampled under the weight of hundreds of feet stamping over them.

Children were separated from their parents, pushed aside by the frenzied mob, and hide in filthy alleys, alone and afraid.

The terrified screaming grew louder as the ground started to shake.

The Titan had started to move.

* * *

Petra had never seen Eren's full titan form with her own eyes, even during the weeks leading up to the doomed expedition. The one time he had been authorised to do a total transformation she'd had been called away by the Commander, missing the spectacle.

She had seen several partial transformations before, both accidental and purposeful; a brilliant flash of light and billowing smoke which eventually cleared to reveal a boy, half-submerged in a mass of steaming meat. Sometimes the mass had an arm or a leg, once it even had a half-formed skull. But nothing could have prepared her for the full thing.

The flash was so intense that it stung her eyes, and even when she squeezed them shut, the light was still bright enough to hurt. The once still and stale air of the underground was violently whipped around, nearly blowing her away, as muscle fibres and bones appeared from nowhere and started to take form.

While she still couldn't see through the blinding yellowish light, Petra could feel Rod trying to break free, but she held him firm even as the knife was ripped from her hand by the force of the wind. He didn't struggle for long as something hot and heavy scooped them off the ground and into the air.

It was a hand… a Titan's hand.

Craning her head upwards, and blinking away the red splodges in her vision, Petra caught a brief glimpse of Eren's face, before the fingers close around her creating a warm, fleshly bunker to protect her from Kenny and his troops. The face was bestial and inhuman with exposed, razor-sharp teeth, elongated ears and glowing green eyes. It was horrifying, and it should have terrified her.

Petra wasn't sure if it's that thought which causes her to burst out laughing or if she had just started to lose her mind in the cell; but either way, she starts snickering like a madwoman, even as Rod screams and cries in fear.

Ever since she'd joined the military, she had feared and hated titans, those monstrous foes who kill and devour people without remorse. She couldn't even count the number of times she had woken up in the dead of night, drenched in sweat and shaking from nightmares of being caught, _trapped_, in a titan's hand or mouth.

But now, after days of endless torture and pain, this small enclosure between a Titan's hand and chest felt like the safest place on earth.

Petra could feel Eren starting to move, the muscles in his chest rippling under the skin as he broke into a sprint. With no real handholds available in his cupped hand, Petra was jostled and bounced around, she tried to steady with her legs against the fingers when she realised there was a weight around them.

Looking down, she saw Reiss clinging to her legs, sobbing and muttering two names over and over again. Petra didn't know who Uri or Frieda was or why Reiss was calling for them, if it was significant, they could find out once the corp had him.

"Get off me!" she hissed at the man feeling her skin crawling at his touch.

Shaking off Rod's desperate grip, and not giving a fuck about his discomfort after everything he had put her and Eren through, Petra kicked Reiss down and stood on top of him so she could peer out in between the gaps of Eren's fingers. She wanted to do something to help Eren, even if it was only looking out for him.

Although the large digits were limiting her field of view, Petra had a commanding view of the city. She could make out most of the main avenues and winding streets, all of them choked with people, as well as the towering pillars of rock. But she couldn't see the exit Kenny was talking about if it even existed.

Cursing this whole situation, Petra racked her brain, trying to think of something else. If they couldn't escape right now, they needed to find somewhere were Eren had the advantage in a fight. But where? If they approached the side of the cave, they'd have nowhere else to run, their backs would literally be up against the wall. And if they stayed here in the denser urban areas, facing competent 3DMG users, they would be easy pickings.

But then she saw it, the glistening reflections of the cave crystals catching her eyes.

Across the city, snaking its way through the heart of the metropolis, was an underground stream. While numerous bridges were spanning the river, the embankments and beyond were devoid of any large structures, leaving a strip of relatively open ground. That might be the only place in the city where their pursuer's 3DMG wouldn't be effective.

It wasn't perfect, but it was better than nothing.

"EREN!" she yelled out, hoping he could hear her through the chaos. "THE RIVER! GO TO THE RIVER!"

A low rumbling noise escaped Eren's mouth as he abruptly changed direction, making a sharp turn, and knocking Petra from her perch. This time she was just about able to suppress the mad giggles. She had just ordered a 15m Titan to do something, and it listened to her.

_'Hanji would really love this.'_ She thought, letting out a shaking breath.

* * *

"Eren! The river! Go to the river!" Eren could just about hear Petra's voice over the hundreds of different noises bombarding his heightened senses; screaming, shouting, the escaping gas of their pursuer's strange 3DM gear, all of it echoing off the cave waves and assaulting him for every angle.

This was only the third time Eren had fully shifted into a Titan, and only his second time consciously doing so, but he felt strangely in control. He didn't feel the animalistic urge for blood he felt in Trost, or his nervous reluctance when he transformed in front of Captain Levi and Hanji. This time he felt confident and prepared as if he had shifted countless times before…

Out of the corner of his eye, over the roofs of the buildings lining the street, he saw it. The stream didn't look like the best place to head towards, but after everything they had endured together, he trusted Petra almost as much as he did Armin or Mikasa.

He let out a low grumble, acknowledging her words, and made a sharp turn, leaping over one of the small shanty houses and landing on the road heading directly towards the river. While his sudden turn and jump had caused some of the pursuers to overshoot and have to turn back, they quickly caught back up to him.

A continuous thunder of shots poured in Eren's general direction, but humanity learnt long ago that any projectile smaller than a cannonball was useless against a Titan, and it continued to be so now. Eren kept running, sidestepping or leaping over crowds of frantic civilians, feeling the faint prickling sensations all over his body where the shells hit him.

Most of the bullets bounce off his thick leathery skin and tumble to the ground like metal hailstones. The few shots that penetrate his skin were fired at nearly point-blank range, the white-hot bullets sinking less than an inch into him, before being pushed out again by the flesh stitching itself together. While this did little to slow Eren down, it did bring the shooters within reach, which Eren is quick to capitalise on.

His free hand snapped out, slapping aside one of the shooters who had gotten to close with as much force as he could muster. There was a deafening crunch as the man's broken body was sent flying across the street and smashed through a brick wall.

Eren lets out a victorious roar at the kill. It felt good to finally punish some of these monsters for their barbarism and cruelty, to give them a taste of the same helplessness Petra and himself had felt, wasting away in the bowls of that dark cell. Kenny had fucked up but letting him out, whatever his plan was it wouldn't happen now. They couldn't do a damn thing to stop him now.

Seeing their comrade being turned into a bloody paste caused many of the interior squad to hesitate and hang back, unsure of how to deal with this new threat. Since joining the secretive arm of the military police, they had exclusively trained with anti-personal equipment and tactics. Only a handful of them had even seen a titan before, let alone fight one.

Swinging into the midst of his soldiers, Kenny immediately demanded to know why they weren't advancing.

"Our guns are useless against that thing, Captain. And he just took out Duran." One of them answered, beads of nervous sweat rolling down his forehead. Whether his nerves was from facing the Titan or Kenny was anyone's guess.

"I see…" Kenny narrowed his eyes at Eren's sprinting form, assessing the situation. Moments later, the corners of his lips twitched upwards.

"Oi, Boomen!" Kenny called out, directing his voice to an unusually gangly man who was silently following behind him. Half the man's face was horribly scarred, with red puckered skin creeping up his throat, over his left eye and missing ear, before wrapping around to the back of his bald head.

The man didn't answer, his vocal cords were charred to uselessness in the same accident which ruined his face, but he did smirk at his Captain, already knowing what he was going to ask, and eager to comply.

"Time to break out your new toys."

Boomen reached down to one of the numerous bandoliers crisscrossing his chest and unclipped it, quickly passing it around the pursuing squad so everyone could take one of his newest creations, with only a modest amount of trepidation.

It was time the scout's pet Titan was introduced to some new technology.

* * *

When Eren was a child, he had very few real worries. Most of his day consisted of doing chores for his mother and father and hanging out with Armin and Mikasa, but there was a time before he had met either of them when he had no real friends.

During those times he spent most of his dates watching the soldiers. While Armin's book about the outside world hadn't inspired his desire to be free of the walls and join the Survey corp at that age, he was still fascinated by the ideals of being a soldier. To serve and protect humanity.

But the Shiganshina soldiery didn't match up to Eren's perceptions about them. They were not brave and heroic, charging valiantly forward to do battle with mankind's foes, but instead sat around all day, drinking and gambling.

Eren didn't like it one bit, so one day he decided to change it. At the tender age of 7, Eren marched straight up to the only Garrison soldier he knew by name, who was slumped over a table with a nearly empty bottle in hand and kicked him in the shin.

Hannes shot up, spitting out curses as he jumped around. The other soldiers, woken up by this, roared in laughter.

"Stop being so lazy!" Eren shouted with all the force his young voice could muster. "You're a soldier, so go do soldier stuff!" he pointed at 'uncle' Hannes, as the drunkard occasional referred to himself as, then in the general direction of the outer gate.

"Damn it Eren, you don't kick a sleeping man, it's bad luck ya' know." Hannes had stopped jumping and rubbed at his painful shin. "Anyway, I'll have you know we are doing 'soldier stuff'. We are maintaining order and security in the district by keeping watch here in the market square."

"You were asleep!" Eren cried with indignation, "Someone could have stolen something off Mr Clavis's stall, and you wouldn't have seen it."

"Ah but they didn't, because we were here to deter them." Hannes confidently replied, flashing Eren a brilliant smile as if he had just answered the question of life.

Eren felt like screaming. "That's stupid! You didn't do anything. But when I grow up, I'm going to become a soldier and show you lot how a real soldier behaves. I'll be the best soldier ever!"

As Eren ranted at the men, Hannes had returned to his seat and picked up the fallen bottle bringing it to his lips. Once he had finished off the bottle, and Eren's had stopped shouting, he turned to face the boy and gave him a small pat on the head.

"I'm sure you will be, son. Just remember though that pride comes before a fall, and if you fall out there…" He cocked his head toward the wall and left the statement hanging. One of the other soldiers choose that moment to bite down on the sausage he was eating, allowing drips of grease and pigs blood to dribble down his chin.

"…exactly." Hannes finished darkly, shooting the other man a glare.

At the time Eren had dismissed Hannes saying, after all, what did that drunken layabout know about anything. But it was on that day that Eren swore to himself he would become a soldier, and he would be the best, just to prove Hannes wrong.

Perhaps it was for that reason Eren doesn't react when someone swings in front of him. He wasn't concerned by the flying pests anymore, none of Kenny's men had managed to harm him, so why would this person be any different. He may not be the best soldier yet, but he was far more unique, and there was nothing these scumbags could do to stop him now.

There is a moment of surprise when rather than pointlessly shooting at him like the others had, this person threw something at him. The object landed into the crook of his arm, held against his body to protect Petra and, unfortunately, Reiss as well.

Eren looks down at the object; regarding it with confusion. It was a long metal pipe, about a foot in length, with a large round bulge on the top which vaguely reminded Eren of a potato. Had it not been for the battle raging around him, Eren might have heard the faint hissing noise the object was emitting.

_'What the…' _Eren goes to shake the strange object free, but he was too late, for this hissing had just stopped.

Like a barrel of gunpowder, the stick exploded in a tremendous fireball, vaporising his elbow and sending fragments of hot metal deep into his Titan's body. Eren cried out in shock, his head ringing from the shockwave even when submerged in his Titan's nape.

Through his blurred double-vision and the deafening ringing in his ears, Eren saw his two charges falling, along with his severed forearm, titan blood spewing from the tattered meat where it used to be connected. Out of pure instinct, his remaining hand shot out, scooping up Petra and pulling her towards his chest.

But Reiss had already fallen out of reach and bounced off Eren's leg onto the ground. There was a loud snapping as his round body rolled into a dark alleyway and out of sight.

_'Shit!' _Eren looks back and hesitates; unsure whether he should go back for that insane bastard or keeping moving. All that knowledge Reiss had about Titans and his father, the corp needed it… _He_ needed it. In the end, however, the choice is made for him as the man pulls another stick off his belt, pulls out a pin and tosses the thing towards him.

Whatever information Reiss would be meaningless if the pair of them were blown apart or recaptured trying to find him.

Breaking out into a sprint once more, Eren looks down at his remain hand as another explosion echoes from behind. Sprawled out in his palm Petra was struggling to keep herself steady in the shaking hand. She reached out, planning on wrapping her arms around his index finger for support, but Eren had another idea.

Without their hostage, they had nothing to bargain with, so the only way they were getting out of here alive was to fight against Kenny and win. And the only way Eren could do that if he had a free hand.

_'Sorry about this Petra.' _He let out a low chirping noise, the only way he could apologise for what he was about to do.

Petra looks up at the strange chirping noise, trying to interpret what Eren is saying. "E-Eren? What are you…" she trails off, staring up at the growing void that was his mouth.

Frozen stiff in Eren palm, Petra can feel herself being lifted up towards the opening maw, in a weirdly out of body experience. Everything feels like a strangely lucid dream, fuzzy and numb, as the rows of serrated teeth pull apart and a long slimy tongue rolls out towards her.

But as a glob of saliva falls from the dangling muscle onto her leg, slathering it in a thick, foul-smelling slime, she was forcefully snapped back into reality. Suddenly, Eren's hand no longer felt like the safest place on earth.

"Wait, wait, wait! ERRRREEEENNNN!" she let out a piercing shriek as Eren threw her into his mouth.

* * *

"Holy shit… did he just eat her?" Micha came to a halt on the rooftop, landing next to her old friend and watched the Titan throw the scout in its mouth before continuing its sprint past them.

Sam was just as shocked as her, his mouth agape and finger froze around the pistol's trigger. All of them in the interior squad knew about the two prisoners, and why they were keeping them together. They friends or at least squadmates, so the boy wouldn't transform if it put her in danger. But despite getting out of the cell and already transformed the boy just ate her.

Maybe he really was a Titan.

"I think…" Sam swallowed thickly, glancing at Micha out the corner of his eye. "I think starving him may have been a bad idea."

* * *

Even as Petra's screaming reverberated through his skull, and her fists ineffectively pounded against his teeth, Eren put his free hand to good use, curling it into a fist and slamming it against a wall, turning the person caught between it into a red stain on the weathered bricks.

He sprinted further into the city, his wild path towards the river unknowingly taking him to the central religious district of the underground city, where the wall cult's influence was strongest. Nearly a dozen churches circled a large decorative squad, each more massive and more grandiose than the one before; Towering spires, magnificent stained-glass windows and marble statues of saints with golden faces.

The whole district looked so out of place compared to the rest of the city, Eren wondered if he had been transported to another world entirely. This was the Wall Cult at their most powerful, and most decadent.

Hundreds of people had fled into these churches and barred the doors behind them, trusting in the cultist's offers of sanctuary either out of desperation or a genuine belief that some higher power would save them.

All of this meant nothing to Eren as his target was now in sight. The sounds of flowing water from the river could be clearly heard, and he could see the cleared expanses of the embankments just out of the square and over the next few rows of houses. Another minute and he would make it, then the advantage would be his again.

Unfortunately for the two scouts, Kenny had clocked on to their plan and intended to cut them off here. He and four of his men shot past Eren, using his body as an anchor for their hooks and slingshotting around him.

Each of them tossed a bundle of sticks, peppered the main junction from the square with bombs. All the air was forced from Eren's lungs, as the shockwave slammed into his massive body, forcing him backwards and causing his clawed feet to tear deep gorges into the ground.

Blinking away the flash of light, Eren witnesses the hellish inferno that had been created in his path and knew if he tried to run through that his skin and muscle would slough off his bones from the extreme heat.

_'Damn it!'_ he cursed, feeling his anger, and a twinge of fear, bubbling up beneath his skin. Kenny was trying to slow him down so the others can catch up and overwhelm him, and it was working.

_'Fine,'_ Eren grits his teeth, _'if you want to fight me here, Kenny, then let's go!' _

His leg lashes out, kicking a giant stone statue of a woman holding a baby, and sending its broken pieces hurtling through the air towards the five foes. Three of the gang members were killed instantly; their bodies were torn apart by the stony barrage, as broken limbs and chunks of meat were scattered around the district.

The fourth died just as quickly as his compatriots, but far more violently. A smaller stone, no larger than a button, catches the gas canister attached to his back and punctures through the thick metal tube.

The proceeding explosion far surpassed all the other detonations felt in the underground that day, as the entire canister of highly pressurised gas erupted with enough force to shatter the windows of nearby buildings and shake plaster from the walls. The only evidence that a person had ever been attached to the canister was a single scorched boot that was launched across the city, never to be seen again.

But Kenny, moving faster than anyone Eren has ever seen; including Captain Levi and Mikasa, managed to altogether avoid the lethal volley by letting go of one of his guns, allowing himself to free fall under the mass of stones before using his remain gun to launch himself back up, only inches away from the ground.

For most users of 3DM gear only having one handle to control their movement would be incredibly challenging to operate successfully, but Kenny made it look natural. He fired his singular hook towards Eren, the sharp metal piercing his stomach, allowing Kenny to fly directly at him. Even as Eren goes to yank the hook out of him, Kenny beats him to it, retracting it only to refire it into Eren's thick hair.

Kenny flipped straight over Eren's head firing his pistol at the bestial face as he passed, blinding him in one eye and the bullets ruptured the jellied orb. Eren growled in frustration as Kenny once more slipped out of reach, wondering how this man could be so fast. Twisting around, so Kenny wasn't at his back, he caught a glimpse of the rapidly approaching gang, their numbers seemingly swelled to two dozen as more reinforcements must have joined the chase from their bunker complex.

Eren could hear Kenny laughing as he zipped around, a dark blur of motion as he flew around the increasingly frustrated Titan shifter. His arm shot out trying to grab Kenny, but it was like trying to swot an impossibly fast fly.

As his ire nearly boiled over entirely, Kenny landed right between his feet and shouted up at Eren, "Hey ugly! I'm down here!", quickly pulling the pins out of his last three sticks.

As Eren's foot lifted off the ground, he dropped all three and ran like hell, firing his 3DMG hook into the darkness and rocketing away. Bringing his foot crashing down were Kenny had been standing only moments ago, hoping to stomp the man flat, Eren wasn't rewarded with a scream and a crunch under his foot but with an explosion, atomising his foot and turning much of his lower leg into burnt, tattered stump.

Eren cried out as his vast body crashed down to earth, unable to stand with only one leg. He started to panic, wondering how he had been so fucking stupid to let Kenny bait him like that, and paralysed in indecision about what he can do now.

His other arm was still slowly healing, barely half his forearm had reformed, and now he was missing most of his right leg. He could scarcely fight and now couldn't even run, and to make everything even worse, the rest of the gang had finally caught up.

In short, both he and Petra were now completely and utterly fucked.

"Bring it down! BRING IT DOWN!" a female voice shouted out the order, pointing not at the wounded Titan, but at the church beside it.

Eren could only look on in horror out his remaining eye as a half dozen sticks were thrown, spinning over his head, and landed at the base of the building. As one all six sticks detonated, the massive explosion shattered the foundations of the church.

The building itself seemed to scream and screech as it started to collapse under its own weight, it's stone walls crumbling, and its towering spire snapped off as a single mass of stone and mortar and fell towards where Eren was sprawled out on the floor.

Kicking off the ground with his bloody stumps, Eren managed to get his upper torso clear of the falling tower but wasn't quick enough to save his lower half. His legs, hips and lower back were instantly crushed under the weight of the tower; his bones splintering and muscles rupturing like overripe fruit. Steam started to billow out around the broken masonry as his Titan body tried to heal from the catastrophic damage to its lower half.

The feeling of frustration and anger well up inside Eren as he tried to push himself up with his free hand and shake the wreckage off his back. The tree trunk thick arm shook like a twig under the weight of the rubble and quickly gives out, snapping in half as his upper body crashes back down, suffering yet more damage and now fully pinned and unable move.

_'Shit… I can't move.' _Eren silently despairs as the soldiers surrounded his fallen form. But worse was when Kenny, with that insufferable grin still plastered on his face, landed tauntingly close to him, well within arm's reach if he could move.

Pulling up his sleeve, Kenny looked down at a strange ticking device wrapped around his wrist and scoffed. "Seriously? Is that all you've got; not even 10 minutes and you're done? I'm guessing you don't have many lady friends with that performance, Yeager."

A handful of Kenny's soldiers chuckled or jeered at the joke, but most were silent; too nervous around the giant Titan or still winded after the short, but brutal, chase across the city.

"What happened to the infamous 'Rogue titan' who raged across Trost for hours? Don't tell me these lot," Kenny gestured to the troops surrounding Eren, "are more effective than hundreds of Titans?

Eren let out a low growl through his clenched teeth, causing Kenny to roll his eyes. "Very scary…"

Caven joined Kenny in front of Eren, coming to a halt beside her Captain and brushing off some of the dust debris from the broken church off her shirt. After cleaning herself, she leant over and whispered something in Kenny's ear.

"We'll pick him up once we're done here… It's not like he's going anyway." He answered with a shrug before regarding Eren once more.

"Well, Yeager, while that was kinda disappointing, you did give us an excellent opportunity to test our newest weapon. It's called a grenade, a throwable explosive. We designed them to deal with humans rather than titans, but it good to know it can work against them too."

"But play time's over now, so let's get you out of there. Sword?" he called out, lifting his arm into the air.

One of his soldiers drew out a standard-issue 3DMG sword and tossed it to Kenny from the roof. Without even looking, he caught the spinning blade by the handle and passed it over to Caven.

"I hope you haven't forgotten your anti-Titan training. Across the nape, right?"

Caven tried the sword's weight, giving it two lazy swings. "I may be a little rusty, but his limbs grow back if I miss."

Kenny laughed and clapped her on the back, "Atta girl, now go bring me a scout… two if the other one is still alive in there."

Caven moved forward, taking slow, deliberate steps towards him. Eren didn't know if Petra could see or hear through his teeth, but by the sudden stillness and quietness in his mouth, he suspected she knew what was coming.

"It'd be a lot easier, and far less painful if you just came out of there yourself." Caven taunted. "Don't make me climb up there, I might get tired and cut the wrong par-"

The words died on her lips as she came to a stop almost within touching distance of Eren. The sword which threatened to cut Eren out of his Titan slipped from her fingers. The whole world seemed to go still, and every sound faded away, except for the clattering of the blade against the stones.

"Caven?" Kenny asked, cocking his head to the side at his second in command strange behaviour.

She didn't answer, only swaying on her feet for a moment before collapsing to her knees and slumping onto her back, revealing to all what had caused her to fall.

Sticking out of her chest, piercing right through her heart, was an arrow.

"NOW!" A familiar commanding voice bellowed out from above.

Before the cry even finished, dozens of men and women burst out of the darkness from every direction. Some leapt through windows, or launched themselves up out of alleyways, taking the interior squad entirely by surprise and attacking them without hesitation.

Others dropped from above, having been dangling from the cave ceiling from their 3DMG, their swords already slicing through their respective target as they landed.

"THERE IS NO FUTURE FOR HUMANITY WITHOUT EREN, SECURE HIM AT ALL COSTS!" Erwin Smith roared, plunging his sword into his target's chest. All around him more scouts started to appear, the familiar sounds of 3DMG filled the air as one by one Kenny's soldiers were ambushed, throwing their formation into disarray.

Eren could see some of his friends fighting side by side in the battle; Jean, Connie, and Marco in the thick of the fighting killing with grim determination. All of them looked older than he remembered any sign of the youthful innocence that might have survived Trost had now been wiped away, leaving only three hardened warriors behind.

Above them, nestled in one of the church's bell towers was the archer who had taken out Caven, firing arrows with deadly precision. When the archer lowered her bow to notch another arrow, Eren recognised the girl's reddish-brown ponytail and knew instantly who it was. He could have recognised Sasha's signature hairstyle anywhere.

In a daze at the sudden turn about of their situation, Eren wondered when she had gotten so skilled with a bow as she effortlessly shot another retreating person out of the sky.

When he turned back towards the Commander, he had to choke back tears of relief as he saw the two people he loved the most; Armin and Mikasa cutting a bloody path straight towards him. When one of Kenny's men stumbled into Mikasa's path, clutching his wounded arm, she didn't hesitate in plunging her blade through his back.

When another soldier levelled his gun at Mikasa, wishing to avenge his comrade, Armin was on him in an instant, his hand off causing the weapon to drop before slashing his other across the man's chest, silencing his tormented wail.

Kenny's face quickly morphed from one of surprise from the ambush to one of anger as he watched his personally trained troops being cut down like fodder. He opened his mouth, ready to shout either orders or insults when he someone landed behind him, their swords already slashing at his head.

As if blessed with a sixth sense, Kenny narrowly avoided the fatal blow by dropping to a knee and spinning around to face his foe, brandishing a knife in the place of his abandoned pistol.

"Kenny," Captain Levi spat out, looming over the serial killer. "you're getting slow."

The Scouts had finally arrived for their missing comrades, and they weren't leaving without them.


	21. Deliverance Pt 2

Hey all, so with this chapter I have caught up with AO3 and therefore you will be subject to my horrible uploading schedule (average once a month now).

Reviews answers:

**David Daniel B: **I'm glad I managed to scare you a bit there. Thanks for reading and commenting!

**SOS-108: **No, this fic isn't an Eren x Petra fic. I imagine Petra as becoming a mother/Older sister-like figure to Eren, especially after all the stuff they've gone through together so far (also with the ages of 14 and mid-20s a relationship would be rather messed up.)

**Noob6: **It wouldn't be SnK without the survey corp coming to Eren's rescue at the last moment lol.

**Traitor of All Traitors:** Thanks, I will make that edit now. Yes to the statue and find out below for what happened to Rod.

**ColonelJay: **Glad you are enjoying it so far. Unfortunately, the upload speed is going to be a lot slower now that I am caught up with AO3 lol. Hopefully, this chapter can tide you over till the next update!

Anyway, hope you all enjoy and let me know what you think!

* * *

"Slow?" Kenny asked incredulously, slashing at Levi with his knife. "You've got some balls, runt. Few years with those Titan lovers and you forget your place. Guess I'll have to teach you a lesson."

Levi batted the blow away with his sword. "You talk too much."

"Cocky little shit, aren't ya? Fine then," Kenny brought his gun to the air and fired his hook. "Let's see how you fare without your friends around to help." He taunted, quickly taking off and fleeing the ambush, with Levi in close pursuit.

With the path to Eren now cleared, Armin and Mikasa made a break for him, each of them cutting down at least one MP who blocked their way.

"Eren!" Armin landed on the downed Titan's face, relief flooding through him at being reunited with his friend after so long. Every day since Eren had been taken, Armin had been furious with himself, just like with Trost he had fucked up, but this time it meant Eren had directly suffered from it.

What had his friend, his brother, been forced to endure during his captivity? Beatings, starvation, torture? The notion ate at him from the inside, clawing at his innards and made him feel sick.

"I'm so sorry…" he mumbled, closing his eyes and resting his forehead against Eren's giant face as if trying to press his feelings of remorse into him.

The sensation of euphoria Eren felt at seeing Armin and Mikasa alive and well after all this time was indescribable. For the entire time he had been held captive he had been entirely in the dark about what had happened with the Armoured Titan roaming about and had no idea of their fate.

During the darkest days, when the pain of his empty, withered stomach and the vicious beatings was almost too much, it was only the thought of the two of them, and how he needed to stay alive and escape that place to protect them, that kept him going.

But now they were reunited, and Eren could see with his own eye that they were both fine, and in an ironic twist of fate, they were the ones who arrived to protect him. And for the first time in his life, Eren wasn't bothered by that.

Letting out a low chirping noise, Eren nuzzled his head against Armin, causing the blond to sway side to side, as Eren broadcast his happiness the best he could. The two friends shared this tender moment, seemingly oblivious to the battle raging around them, as rested against each other. They were pulled out of the moment by a familiar voice calling their names.

"Armin, is Eren okay?" Mikasa shouted up to them from the ground, twirling her blades around as she guarded them. As tempted as she was to join Armin on Eren's face, Mikasa had to make sure no one tried to sneak up on her two boys; only one MP had been stupid enough to try, which explained the still corpse at her feet and the fresh blood dripping down her swords.

"Yes… yes, he's fine, we've got him." He shouted back, eyes snapping open as he remembered where he was.

Mikasa let out a tiny sigh of relief. _'Finally.' _She thought.

Part of her wanted to just cut Eren out, grab him and Armin, and get them both to safety, even if she had to throw them over her shoulders to do so, but there was something that needed to be done first. As long as Kenny and Rod were alive, they would be a threat, and if they escape this place, they may attempt to capture Eren and Historia again. That couldn't happen.

"Get Eren to safety!" she yelled to Armin, looking towards the two distance blurs of Captain Levi and Kenny. She'd have to move quickly to catch up to them. "I'm going after Kenny." She announced, leaving no room to argue.

Even while submerged in his Titan, Eren felt a cold shiver run down his spine at Mikasa's words. After seeing how fast and dangerous Kenny was firsthand, he didn't want her to go anywhere near him, even if she was one of the best fighters the corp had. But when he tried to shout out his warning, all that escaped his Titanic vocal cords was a high pitch chirp, which whistled through his clenched teeth.

The sound did nothing to stop Mikasa as she broke into a run, firing her hooks into a church's spire and catapulted herself into the air.

Armin watched her go, firing off a quick prayer that she would be safe and wouldn't have too much trouble fighting Kenny. Otherwise, trying to explain the sudden appearance of the Female Titan within the confines of the underground city might be a bit of a challenge, even for him.

When he looked back to his friend, Armin could see the worry in Eren's giant green eye. "She'll be fine, Eren, trust me." Kenny might be tough, but there's no way he could stand up to both Levi and Mikasa, right?

"Come on, Eren. We need to get you out of here." Armin readied his blade in case Eren needed help exiting his Titan. "We've got a safe house nearby; the Commander wants us to wait there until the battle is over."

Eren shook his giant head, nearly dislodging Armin. "What? Eren we don't have time, we've got to-" he trailed off, looking down at Eren's rapidly opening mouth. As soon as his teeth were pulled apart, his long tongue rolls out, pushing something out of his mouth which lands with a soft, wet thud.

It takes longer than Armin is proud to admit for him to realise that the something that came out of Eren's mouth was actually a some_one_. Gazing down at the person from his perch, Armin couldn't help but notice how awful they looked; their skin was deathly pale, almost translucent in the dim light, and the clothes they wore were filthy and ill-fitting as if they were a size too big. Armin didn't like how many bloodstains were on that vaguely familiar shirt.

When the person lifted their head off the ground, Armin could see their auburn hair, matted and tangled with clumps seemingly torn away from her scalp, was sticking to their face, glued there by the thick coating of Titan saliva.

Spying the emblem of the survey corp on their sodden military jacket, Armin, after an owlish blink, finally realises who this person is.

"Miss Ral!" Armin blurts out the name in surprise, astonished but immensely relieved that she was still alive.

When they had been told about the kidnapping, he had immediately assumed the worse for the veteran scout, doubting Rod would have any need of anyone but Eren and Historia. When he had asked the latter in private if she thought her father would keep Petra alive, she had just looked down and shook her head.

The two of them had agreed not to mention it to Mikasa as they had both noticed the effect Petra's kidnapping had on her.

Despite his best efforts to convince her otherwise, Mikasa held herself responsible for the deaths of the other members of the special operations squad, telling him that if she had been a bit faster, she could have saved them all. So, when she heard that the sole survivor had been taken alongside Eren by that psychopath Kenny, it was like salt being poured in an open wound.

In between coughs and gags, Petra let out a string of curses and furious promises of violent retribution at Eren for throwing her in his mouth, some of which were graphic enough to make Armin wince in sympathy for his friend.

Pushing strands of slime-slick hair off her face, Petra cringes and lets out another curse when her fingertips brush over the cheek, long nails stabbing into the tender skin around the infected wound. Moving the rest of the sticky bangs aside with extra care and blinking away the last remnants of the sludge blurring her vision, Petra finally opens her eyes and looks around dumbfounded at the sight before her.

Carriage-sized chunks of stone from the shattered church laid around her, half-sunken into the ground, as a roaring inferno ravaged its way down a street. While all the while dozens of scouts zipping around, battling the interior squad for control over the fallen Titan, as bodies of fleeing MPs fell from the sky.

Clambering back from the chaos, Petra turned to look at Eren but was herself surprised to see a short blond boy clinging to Eren's face as if he didn't have a care in the world.

Her mouth opened and closed, gaping like a fish's as she struggled to process everything happening around her. There was only one phrase that could do her total bewilderment justice, and she eagerly expressed it aloud.

"What the fuck?!"

When a pair of arms are suddenly wrapped around her from behind, Petra nearly jumped out of her skin and lets out a high pitch yelp. She struggles for a moment, arms flailing about trying to elbow the person, thinking it's one of the MPs trying to grab her. She calms down when a head of familiar cherry blond hair appears over her shoulder.

"Nifa?" Petra choked out, emotions welling up inside her at her old friend's embrace.

"Hey Petra," Nifa said with a worried smile, wrinkling her nose slightly at the pungent smell of Titan drool slavered on Petra's clothing. "Sorry, we took so long. You're a hard woman to find."

They stayed like that for a moment before Nifa caught Armin's eye and nodded to her unofficial squadmate. Even though nothing had been confirmed yet, Nifa knew that squad leader Hanji would happily fight anyone who tried to poach Arlert from her or lead an outright mutiny if Erwin assigned him elsewhere. Especially after all the time they had been working together since Eren's kidnapping.

Hooking her arms up Petra's, she hoisted the women up as Armin clambered over the Titan's face and mounted its nape with his blade drawn. With a series of quick but careful incisions, he had peeled Eren out of the steaming meat and carried him down to the ground.

As the four of them huddled together under the rapidly disintegrating Titan, Nifa asked her young comrade if he was ready. With a resolute nod from Armin, the pair of them grabbed their respective friend and made a run for it, sprinting through the midst of the battle and diving into a dark passageway between the churches, and didn't look back.

* * *

The Ripper and Humanity's strongest battled across the city, blades clashing, and shots firing in between well-timed swings. Around them the city burnt, the numerous bombs carelessly thrown at Eren lighting fires which engulfed buildings and people alike.

Kenny threw taunts and insults at Levi, trying to throw him off balance but Levi wasn't going to fall for that trick again, not like he did in Hermina. He kept the pressure up on Kenny, attacking from a new angle every time he got close enough to the man.

Their violent dance through the air was a thing of wonder, as both fought with almost unnatural grace and control of their 3DM gear as they swung across roads and over buildings, and in one case, through one, as Levi dived through the window and sprinted through the house, only to leap out the opposite window, all to keep within touching distance of Kenny.

For all Kenny's immense skill in the air, he only had one hook and tether left due to him abandoned his other gun to escape the chunks of statue Eren hurled at him. That was the only opening Levi could see, but it was the only one he needed.

Using one of the underground's natural stone columns as an anchor point, the legendary scout slingshotted around it and cut across Kenny's path. With a flash of his sword, and a resounding *snap*, the tether is sliced in two.

Spitting out a curse as he plummeted, Kenny reacted fast. Pointing his pistol to the side, he squeezed the trigger, allowing the immense kickback to manipulate the angle of his fall towards a large warehouse which stood above the other structures near it. As he neared the roof, falling with the force of a meteor, he squeezed the secondary trigger, letting out a burst of gas to turn the lethal fall to a merely bone-breaking one, if he messed up the landing.

'_If!'_ Kenny silently scoffed as he landed hard on top of the warehouse, making sure to roll into it to stop his legs from snapping. Coming out of the roll he leapt back onto his feet in an instant, looking unfazed at the death-defying stunt he had just pulled off. His knife was already up and ready when Levi came flying down at him, with murder in his eyes.

Kenny blocked the decapitating strike, halting Levi's blades in an instant. The two men strained against each other; faces separated by a handful of inches.

With a smirk, Kenny took the time to taunt Levi some more, "Well ain't this better, just me, you and the underground. It's about time you came back down here, Levi. I was beginning to think you'd forgotten where you came from."

"I came for my squad." Levi growled, pushing against Kenny's knife even harder as if trying to overcome his defence through brute force.

"I wouldn't bother with that, after all, it's not like you'll be leaving here alive." The serial goaded before summoning forth an ungodly amount of strength and delivered a brutal kick to Levi's stomach, sending the pride of the survey corp flying back across the rooftop.

"Is this all you've got, boy? I thought you wanted to save your team... or what remains of them." He slotted a new barrel onto his pistol and lazily brought it up at Levi, who was still bent over from the bone-rattling kick. "I taught you better than that. Now stand up, and fig-" Kenny span round, the flash of red he caught out the corner of his eye gives him just enough time to block another attacker's blades with his loaded pistol.

His whole arm shakes under the impact, his freshly loaded gun rendered useless by the blade digging into the stock. For the second time that day, someone had nearly gotten the drop on Kenny, and that pissed him off. Now face to face with this would-be killer, he looks at the face of the person brazen enough, or stupid enough, to attack him.

He has to do a quick double-take when he sees that the person isn't some giant hulking beast, as he had expected from the speed and force behind the attack, but was, in fact, a young girl who couldn't be any older than 15.

As quick as a flash, the girl swung her other sword up at him, the tip catching his chest armour with a metallic shriek, tiny sparks flying in all directs. Tilting his head back to avoid having his face carved in half by the strike, Kenny feels a stab of pain as the blade point cuts a shallow line up his chin, causing him to stumble backwards.

On instinct, Kenny brought a finger up to his chin to feel the injury, and when he pulled it away, he stared at the bloody digit in stunned disbelief. This girl had just managed to draw blood from him. How many years had it been since someone had injured him so? How many decades? Kenny couldn't even remember.

Slowly, he looked back up at the girl who was standing only a few metres away and presented the finger to her. "It's been a long time since I've seen my own blood. What's your name, girl?" he asked, wanting to discover the name of the first person to properly injure him in years.

He was still going to kill her, of course, but an achievement like that deserved to be remembered, and Kenny wanted to put a name to the face.

"What did you do to Eren?" she growled out; her dark eyes blazing with fury as she prepared herself for another attack.

"Weird name." Kenny shrugged, deciding he could probably force out a name before she bled out on the floor and lunged forward, slashing at her with his knife.

It would have been the perfect eviscerating strike had she not jumped back, using the gas of her 3DMG to backflip out of his reach, and nearly kicking him in the face with her long legs.

'_She's good.' _Kenny assessed, doubting there were many people alive who could have avoided that strike and almost hit him while doing so. He thought about shooting her, but a quick look down at his gun told him that wasn't happening.

Her strike had nearly cut the thing in two, the wooden stock had a deep gash running through it while the barrel itself was bent at a weird angle. _'Damn, this was my favourite gun.' _Kenny thought as he tossed the now-useless weapon away.

Now there would be no shooting or running from this rooftop. He'd have to finish this the old fashion way.

"Ackerman get out of here. He's mine." Levi could already feel a bruise forming on his chest as he pushed himself up, flipping his blades around, so they were in his customary reverse grip. He didn't know why she was here instead of guarding Yeager with Arlert, but he didn't want to see her getting herself killed; not here, and not to this man.

Kenny looked up sharply, the shouted surname interrupting his silent planning, and turned his head towards Mikasa as if seeing her for the first time. He eyed her up and down before slowly breaking out into a grin.

"Ackerman, huh? Well shit, ain't this a surprise. You must be from the branch down south, right? I thought you lot died out before the fall." He cocked an eyebrow, drawing out another knife from his jacket and twirled it around, as he awaited an answer.

Mikasa gave no indication she even heard him speak, let alone grace him with an answer. Instead, she silently stalked around Kenny, assessing the man for openings like a predator would do to its prey.

"What? Nothing to say, _cousin_? Well, I don't blame you, after all, family reunions can be such awkward affairs." The spinning knife came to a halt, the hilt firmly secured in Kenny's hand. He watched her as she trailed around him, occasionally glancing back at Levi who, having realised to his immense frustration that Mikasa wasn't going to leave, copied her plan and moved to encircle his old 'guardian'.

Kenny saw what they were doing and started to laugh. Fighting a Titan had been an utterly lacklustre experience for him, especially after everything he had been told about mankind's 'mortal enemy', but facing these two? This might just be the fight he had been looking for, the one to push him to his limits.

He gestured with his knives, beckoning both of them forward.

"Alright then, kids." He chuckled, "Come show old Kenny what you can do."

In the dim light of the underground city, as the fires from the explosions still flared and spread, leaping from building to building which lined the Titan's path of destruction, two of the strongest people on this earth launched themselves at the laughing man.

Both knew they could hold nothing back from this fight.

Both fought with intent to kill, knowing anything else would end up in their own defeat.

And both of them wondered if that would even be enough to win.

* * *

Everything had become a blur to Eren as he was pulled from his Titan and practically dragged across the courtyard, into the nearest alleyway. He goes to talk but is firmly shushed by Armin who pulls off his own cloak and throws it over Eren's bare upper body and yanks the hood up to cover his face. Before he can even register the rapid change of clothes, Eren is carried further into the city, through winding narrow paths, pausing and darting across every juncture with the main streets.

Hating the sensation of being useless and helpless, Eren tries to move under his own strength, but almost collapses into a pile; his legs feeling as weak as a new-born baby's. No longer connected to his Titan and its own energy reserves and warmth, all the abuse and starvation his body had endured during his captivity hit him like a runaway horse, as the bone-deep exhaustion of doing a full transformation in his condition robbed him of what little strength he had left.

He stumbles, but the incredible warm arm that slips around his waist prevents him from falling. "Hang on Eren, we're nearly there," Armin uttered, pulling Eren up with one arm and waving to Nifa and Petra to stay close with the other. They were getting close now.

As they dashed through the city, the sounds of the battle; shouting, screaming, gunshots and the occasional explosion, grew quieter as they travelled further away. Eventually, they came to a stop in front of an old wooden door which Armin banged his fist against in a strange rhythm. Seconds later, it was thrown open, and the four of them rushed in, pushing past the scout handling the door and the three others standing guard inside.

As the door is slammed shut and a heavy bolt slid across it, Nifa helped Petra to one of the tables pushed against the walls and gingerly laid her down on it, calling for a med-kit. Not stopping to check on the older scout's injuries, Armin carries the semi-conscious Eren into another room, as per the Commander's plan, and locks the door from the inside.

Together the two boys slump against the back wall and slide down to the floor. Armin wraps both arms around Eren, cringing at how gaunt and skinny he feels and pulls him close.

"It's alright now Eren, we're safe here." He tells the shifter, brushing a hand against his knotted brown hair. "There's food and water here if you need it, but otherwise just rest." Armin jerked his head towards a small crate into the corner.

While his stomach grumbled at the mere mention of food and water, Eren ignores it. He was so tired, that even the thought of eating or drinking was too much, so instead he just shuffled closer to his oldest friend, stealing his warmth and drinking in his presence.

"So warm…" he slurred out, letting his eyelids droop and finally, after days of always being on edge and afraid of what might happen to him in his sleep, Eren slipped into a relieved unconsciousness, content in the knowledge that if Armin said it they were safe, then he was and could finally rest easy.

* * *

Some people might think that facing down two of the finest soldiers ever fielding by humanity, alone with only two knives would be a death sentence. An unwinnable battle, which would be over in a blink of an eye.

But those people did not know the notorious Ripper of Mitras, the terror of the Capital and demon of the underground.

They did not know Kenny Ackerman.

The mad killer didn't stop laughing as he parried blow after blow, batting them away with ease, before striking back with blistering speed. His two knives moved with such precision it was as if they were an extension of his own body, as natural to him to use as his own fingers.

From the outside, the fight was a blur of motion; flashing silver and the clashing of steel, as these three Gods of war tore into one another with a vengeance. The relentless screeching of metal on metal grew louder and louder as Kenny danced around the roof, holding his own against his two younger, and better equipped, foes.

As painful as it was for Mikasa to admit, she was genuinely astonished at the sheer speed, and ferocity Kenny fought with. Even as she called on greater depths of her strengths than ever before, bringing down her swords with enough force to cut a person clean in two, Kenny always seemed to move faster to avoid her blows or hit back harder, nearly jarring her arm whenever he blocked her slashes with his daggers.

As she is knocked back by a particular hard parry, Mikasa wonders if this is how ordinary people felt like when they faced her; the shock of what was happening, followed by the sinking sensation of dread, knowing that even when you're fighting at your best, you still can't win.

It reminded her of when she first heard about the curse of Ymir, locked in that cell after retaking Shiganshina. The feeling of hopelessness and defeat, the knowledge that both Eren and Armin would die, that she had failed to protect them.

She didn't just dislike that feeling, she hated it, with every fibre of her being. But she just couldn't shake it, never before had she had this most trouble with a human opponent; Not even shifters gave her this much trouble, and she had fought five of the nine.

Taking a mental step back from haze of combat, Mikasa wracked her brain, trying to think of some way to beat Kenny. Just brute-forcing him wasn't working, and disturbingly she had the suspicion Kenny wasn't even using his full strength yet.

If they're going to beat Kenny, they needed to think outside the box.

'_What would Armin do?' _Mikasa thought, narrowly dodging a wild slash. After launching a few more fruitless attacks and defending herself from some brutal counterattacks, a plan suddenly clicked together in her mind. With two knives, Kenny's defence was like a fortress; impenetrable and unyielding, but if he only had one knife, maybe they could pry his guard open and take him out.

Her path was now clear. If they were going to beat this man, one of his knives had to go.

And she had just the idea to do it.

Letting out a loud battle cry to draw Kenny's attention, Mikasa swung her blade through the air towards him, aiming at his chest. The man was already moving to parry the blow when she put her plan into action. Pulling her strike back at the last moment, she purposefully avoided missed any of Kenny's vital points, and instead aimed for the knife he went to block her with. More specifically, she targeted the fingers holding it.

With a flash of steel, four severed fingers dropped to the ground, blood spewing from the stumps as the targeted knife was smashed off the edge of the building under the full force of Mikasa's strike, spinning into the darkness below.

Despite the success of her plan, Mikasa's victory was short-lived; while such a painful and debilitating injury would have caused most opponents to falter, Kenny was far from ordinary. Letting the pain fuel his anger, Kenny let out a bestial roar, drew back his wounded hand and punched Mikasa across the jaw with the stumped fist.

Entirely unprepared for such a rapid counterattack, Mikasa had no way to avoid the punch. As it connected with her mouth, she felt something crack and could taste the coppery tang of blood pooling on her tongue.

There was a blinding flash of light behind her eyes when her head collided against the clay tiles, momentarily robbing her of sight. As she laid dazed on the floor, it felt like the whole world was spinning as the small part of her brain that wasn't hazy from the blow, desperately fought to prevent a shift. It felt like a thunderspear had just exploded across her face, but a hundred times worse.

Spitting out the glob of blood, Mikasa tried to move but froze when she sensed Kenny looming over her with murderous intent. Grimacing in pain and anger, Kenny raised his leg aiming to deliver another brutal kick to finish her off, when someone crashed into him, driving him away from Mikasa's fallen form.

"Don't touch her!" Levi shouted, smashing his two swords against Kenny's guard, again and again, trying to break through it.

The singular knife Kenny had left bore the full brunt of the attacks. Already weakened by countless blows during the fight, the small blade started to crack and warp under the tremendous force of Levi's blows.

Finally, with a bellowing shout of determination, Levi struck again, harder than he had ever done in life. Harder than when he cut hordes of Titans apart, harder than when he fought for his own survival in this place and harder than when he cut apart his first Titan, that abnormal which crawled on all fours and took his closest friends from him.

He hit so hard that the knife Kenny held, one he had been faithfully using for years and reaped countless souls with, was shattered completely, sending a hail of metal shards which fell across the rooftop like it was rainwater.

"Wha-" Kenny barely had the chance to express his shock when Levi thrust his other blade forward. The razored edge of it cleaving through his gear's armour plates and pierced deep into the flesh beneath it. He could feel the blade slice through his guts, spilling his own filth into his body, before it burst out his back, tearing chunks of flesh away with it.

Kenny doesn't cry out or scream in pain at the terrible blow, merely gasps as the air is forced from his lungs by the impact. For a moment Kenny doesn't move, seemingly frozen in shock, as blood starts to pour out from around the blade skewering his body, causing a dark crimson stain to rapidly grow across his shirt. Levi pushed forward twisting the blade slightly and forcing Kenny to his knees. The hilt of the broken knife he was clenching slipped out of his twitching fingers and clattered to the ground beside him.

Looking up at Levi with blood speckled lips, Kenny's lips curled into a pained smile. "Th…that's more like it." He coughed out, as a flare of pain blossomed within his core as the act of talking caused the blade to grind against his innards. "You're all grown up now, Levi. I'm proud of ya." Kenny forced out, blood spilling from his mouth as he did so.

Levi crouched down, one hand still firmly gripping the sword handle, and grabbed Kenny by the face.

He knew there were more pressing questions he should be asking; about Reiss and Government, but in that singular moment, Levi didn't care. For years he had wondered what bond they shared for a man like Kenny to teach him how to survive. He knew it had to be connected with his mother, in some way or another, it was the only logical explanation.

He had waited for years to one day find out, and with Kenny on the verge of death, it was time he knew the truth.

"What were you to my mother?" Levi demanded of the dying man.

Kenny let out a something halfway between a laugh and a groan. "Heh, you idiot…" he started, picking up on Levi's silent suspicions, "I'm not your father if you were worried."

"She was my sister." He wheezed out, before a guttural hacking cough erupted from his lips, spraying specks of blood against his nephew's face.

Levi didn't react when Kenny lifted his arm and rested his ruined hand against his cheek, so taken aback by finally uncovering the truth that he didn't care about the man's touch or the blood splattered against him.

"You look like her, ya know." Kenny coughed out, letting his hand rest against Levi's cheek as he remembered Kuchel's face; the pale skin from a lifetime living underground, and those bright eyes which shone with hope, long after Kenny thought she would have abandoned it.

She always was the best of them.

As his strength waned Kenny found he could no longer keep his arm up, and his hand slips from Levi's face, leaving only a bloody smear behind.

As the limp limb slumps down, Kenny's eyes drift over Levi's shoulder towards the girl, still unsure of what her name was. At some point during his familial confession, she had risen to her feet and stood behind Levi, ready to strike if she needed to. For a split second, Kenny thought he saw a wisp of steam escape the corner of her mouth when she exhaled, but he quickly dismissed it as the delusion of a dying man. Only shifter's like Uri steamed like that when injured.

In a twisted sort of way, Kenny was glad he'd finally met someone from the other branch of their clan, even if she had been trying to kill him. For decades their clan were hunted and persecuted across the land by the Government, forced to live in the mountains, forests or underground, like common criminals. Only when he started working for Uri did that change, but it was too late.

The southern branch was gone, and it had been for nearly a year from the report he had found when looking back into them. When he saw the girl had been taken in by a family in Shiganshina, he started looking into her to make sure she was being looked after. But when the city was attacked, and Wall Maria breached mere days after he started, any paper trail ran cold and was forced to assume she had died alongside her new family.

He was glad she hadn't. There was only three of their clan left now, and Kenny knew that number would drop down to two within the next few moments. But he didn't despair, for if those two could beat him, they could beat anyone.

Their family, if such a thing could even be called a family, would survive and carry on without him. He was sure of it.

"Good fight." he rasped out at the girl, before using the last of his strength to pull his head from Levi's grip and look up at the cavern ceiling.

The tiny crystals that twinkled in the growing darkness of his vision reminded him of the stars and those bright streaks in Uri's violet eyes.

'_Uri… I'm coming…'_

* * *

"Kenny?" Levi shook the man, his head lolling back and forth, but there was no answer. "Kenny!" he tried again.

"He's gone, Captain." Mikasa looked down at Kenny over the Captain's shoulder with a masked expression. For all Kenny's cruelty and sadism, he was her blood relative, however distant that was, but still _family_.

Suppressing a wince at that uncomfortable thought, she still cannot help but wonder that had things gone differently on _that_ day, would it have been Kenny, rather than the Yeagers, who would've taken her in?

She shoves that 'what if?' idea away, for it doesn't matter to her now, and it never has. A life with Kenny would have been a life without Eren and Armin, and that's life Mikasa wants nothing to do with.

"I told you to leave." Levi didn't look up from his uncle's body, his free hand clenched into a fist.

"You could have died if I had." She replied.

Levi said nothing, knowing in his hearts of hearts that Mikasa was right. Had she not arrived when she did Kenny would have shot him, and even if he had avoided that, it had taken both of them to beat Kenny and even then, it was close. He honestly didn't know if he could have beaten him alone.

Mikasa peeled her gaze from Kenny's corpse and glanced around the city, noting how the sounds of battle had dimmed significantly as the last few interior squad members were being cut down or shot out of the sky by the survey corp.

With Kenny now dead, this battle was over, that much was certain. The MPs may have better equipment for fighting people, but they were heavily outnumbered and now outclassed in raw skill. The only thing left to do now was to get Eren to safety if Armin hadn't already done so, then find Reiss and put an end to this for good.

"I'm heading back, Captain. The others might need help."

She turned away, dumping the two chipped and dulled blades from her handles and replaced them with fresh ones. It wouldn't pay to be caught unprepared for another fight, even with a rapidly diminishing number of enemies.

"Ackerman, wait." Levi stood up, unclipping the blade pierced through his uncle, but didn't turn to face her. "About what you heard…"

The question hung heavy in the air, like a dark foreboding shadow pressing down on both of them. It was a conversation Mikasa had avoided having with him the first time, but now it was facing her again.

The question of family.

She goes to say that it doesn't mean anything; that their shared name and blood meant nothing. That they should continue to treat each other as they always had, as a Captain and a subordinate, but something causes her to hesitate.

Perhaps it was the tension in Levi's stance, the unusual tightness in his shoulders and the small hairs on his neck sticking up; the minuscule hints of vulnerability in an otherwise invulnerable man. Or maybe it's this whole situation; for whatever reason Armin, Historia and herself had been sent back through time, and had been given another chance to fix the mistakes of the past.

The first time she had met Levi, he had beaten Eren to a bloody pulp in front of her, and had it not been for Armin holding her back, she would have leapt over that barrier and attacked him. Even when she realised his actions had been necessary to sway Zachary, she couldn't bring herself to openly forgive him for it.

But as they fought battle after battle together; against Titans, the government, then Marley, she had grown to respect the man, and he had grown to appreciate her skills. But there was always that unspoken barrier between them, the unease that tainted their respect for each other's skills knowing that they worked so well together because of their shared blood. Which, thanks to their legendary stubbornness, they had patently refused to discuss after it was first revealed to them.

Perhaps this was a chance for them to try something different, to be something more than just fellow soldiers.

"Family is the most important thing in the world for me." Mikasa started slowly, fighting the urge to fiddle with her scarf. "I will fight for it, kill for it, even die for it. And there are only so many lives I can care about."

Glancing over her shoulder, Mikasa noticed the almost resigned slump of Levi's shoulders and wanted to kick herself realising that wasn't the best start. This was much harder than she'd imagined.

"But…" Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Mikasa fought through her growing desire to flee from this increasingly uncomfortable situation. "There is still some room left in my heart for more. I am willing to try and make something of this if you are… Levi." She breathed out, before walking over to the edge of the building and dropping out of sight.

Suddenly left alone on the rooftop with Mikasa offer still ringing in his ears, Levi looked down at Kenny's body as he ran her words over and over again in his mind.

The offer of a family.

The very word twists his stomach and leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. After all, what was family to him except an endless stream of death, loss and grief; His mother, Isabel, Farlan, Olou, Gunther, Eld, even _Kenny, _as twisted as he was. All of them had died by his hand or because of his failings.

And now someone else was holding out a hand to him, offering that poisoned chalice. Yet despite everything, despite knowing what would happen if he took it, despite knowing it would only lead to more loss, Levi found himself wanting to take it.

He wanted to take it regardless of the pain he knew it would inevitably cause. He wanted to take it knowing it would likely doom Mikasa to death just like it had to all the others.

'_You're a selfish bastard.' _The voice in his head sneered.

'_I know…' _Was his honest reply.

Levi gave a final glance toward the man who had overshadowed his life; constantly residing in the dark depths of Levi's mind, always judging his choices and observing his mistakes. The silent witness to everything he did.

The man might be gone, but the memories of him would remain. Perhaps they would remain for years, perhaps they would stay for the rest of his life. But memories were just that. Memories. Levi could live with Kenny's ghost haunting his dreams if it meant he couldn't hurt anyone else.

"Goodbye, Kenny."

With a muttered goodbye, Levi followed Mikasa off the rooftop back toward the corp, leaving the body of his uncle propped up and alone as his blood slowly dried on the weathered tiles.

* * *

Far across the city, a short, overweight man was dragging himself towards a side passage, moaning in pain as he tries to get off the main street. The fall he had from the Titan's chest had broken both his legs, with his left ankle shattering on impact with the ground, and his right leg so badly broken that his cracked femur was sticking out through his skin.

"Help me!" Rod cried out, pleading for someone to recuse him. There was no reply from the multitude of crushed or blown apart bodies which littered the street, only the sounds of cracking and snapping of timbers could be heard as the fires continued to spread.

Sobbing, Rod cursed the day he met Kenny, that treacherous Ackerman scum, and his foolish decision to listen to his brother and not put a bullet in that madman's skull on the day they met. He had told Uri countless times that Kenny was more trouble than he was worth, and he was right. When his family had needed him most, when the usurper's father attacked, he wasn't there to protect them as he was handsomely paid to do. And now, on the precipice of regaining the founding Titan and restoring his family's strength and power, Kenny had betrayed him.

'_Bastard_.' Rod wanted to scream the word at the top of his lungs, to shout it until his throat was raw and bloody. To yell it so loud that Uri could hear it from the heavens and know he had made a mistake in trusting that murderer.

He pulled himself deeper into the alley, crying out in pain as his broken legs were dragged along the uneven cobbles.

Eventually, the pain becomes too terrible for the man to continue moving, the white-hot agony which tore through his nerves with every small bump and collision reducing him to a bawling mess, tears and snot trailing down his face as he laid there, crying in the dirt. He had no idea how long he stayed there, silently begging for aide, when he felt a presence standing before him.

Through blurred eyes, Rod could see two pair of boots standing before him, and for a brief, fleeting moment he thought help had finally arrived. He reached out, grabbing the closest pair with his maimed hand, desperately clinging to it in the hope of rescue.

He looked up, blinked away the tears so we could see the face of his saviour and gasped. "H-Historia?" he whimpered.

She may have been dressed as an ordinary resident of the underground, with a slightly off coloured shirt and plain trousers, but Rod could still make out the blocky shapes of her 3DM gear hidden beneath her green cloak. And what's more, he noticed the long flintlock rifle she had slung over her shoulder, the standard weapon of the capital MPs.

Historia coolly gazed down at her wounded father, not looking at his mangled legs, or his tearful face, but at the hand touching her boot.

'_So that's what they did to you.' _

Mikasa had told her they had tortured the information out of Rod, but she had been vague on the details. Now she saw it for herself and was almost disappointed.

After everything he had done, to her and to them, she thought he deserved worse, much worse.

"Is this him?" Ymir asked, snapping Historia out of her musings, and taking a step forward. She looked down at Rod and her mouth twisted into a scowl of barely contained disgust.

At Historia's small nod, Ymir squatted down and grabbed Rod by the throat. "So, you're the sick fuck who abandoned his own daughter and forced her into the military to die. Give me one reason not to choke the life out of you right now?" As Ymir practically growled in her father's face, revealing the true steel and fury that resided beneath the mask of snarky aloofness she often wore.

Despite her demand for an answer, Ymir was already squeezing down on Rod's neck, constricting his windpipe until his face started to turn blue from the lack of oxygen.

"Hi…tor…a… ple…se…" Rod managed to choke out, looking towards his daughter with bloodshot eyes, as the small ocular capillaries ruptured from the pressure.

She was so, _so_ tempted to just let Ymir finish him off, to let her wipe away the stain on humanity that was Rod Reiss. But Historia knew she couldn't; this was her fight, and she needed to finish it.

Taking a quick breath, she placed a hand on Ymir's shoulder and gave it a quick squeeze. "Ymir, could you give me a moment with him? This is something I need to do… alone."

"What?! No, I'm not going to leave you here with this bastard after all he's done." Ymir fired back, tightening her grip on Rod's throat even more.

"He can't do anything to me now; he's alone and can barely move." She tore her gaze away from her father and looked at her girlfriend. "Please Ymir, let me do this."

The freckled girl looked back and forth between Historia and Rod, chewing her bottom lip in deliberation. "Fine," she spat out after a few seconds of silence, "but I'm not happy about this."

She let go of her crushing grip on Rod's throat, who immediately started choking and gasping for air. "I'll wait at the end of the alley, but if he tries anything; yell, and I'll come and skin him alive."

Firing a quick look of concern at the stony-faced Historia, Ymir spat in front of the man's face and 'accidentally' kicked one of his broken legs as she stalked down the alleyway and out of sight.

As her father finished moaning in pain and trying to suck air into lungs through his bruised throat, Historia looked around the filthy passageway, surprised that none of Kenny's soldiers had come back for him or even stopped to help. Perhaps Kenny had already betrayed him when he realised he couldn't use the Founding Titan and saw no use in coming to Rod's aide.

'_Good.' _She thought. That would make this much more manageable.

"Hi… Historia… my daughter… you're here." Her father croaked out, pawing at her foot.

Finding him in this sprawling overpopulated city had been a stroke of luck for the two of them, especially as Commander Erwin had wanted her to stay topside and stay out of this fight altogether.

She had told him in no uncertain terms where he could shove that idea, her commanding officer or not. If he thought she would do nothing while her friends went into battle and Eren was being held captive again, he had another thing coming.

So, through a series of promises, demands and the threat of outright insubordination, a compromise was formed between the two of them. Commander Erwin wouldn't throw her in a cell for 'her own protection', and she would be permitted to join the rest of the corp in sneaking into the underground, but only if she agreed to stay on the outskirts of the battle, in one of the hunter squads tasked with dealing with any member of the interior squad who might try and escape.

At first, Erwin must have been immensely pleased with himself at Historia's reluctant acceptance, thinking that with his original plan of assaulting the MP's complex that there would be nothing for those hunter squads to do. But with Eren's unexpected escape, the plan suddenly became exceptionally 'dynamic', as Hanji put it.

Basically, the corp was now making it up on the fly, trying to account for the wildly fleeing 15m Titan as they moved into positions to ambush the chasing interior squad, and that suited Historia just fine. With her existing orders no longer applicable, she led Ymir along Eren's path of destruction, looking for any signs of her father. She expected he would be here somewhere, and she was right.

"Are you surprised? You kept sending people to drag me down here after all."

"Drag you here? No, I sent them to protect you, to get you away from those scout extremists. They are dangerous Historia, a fetid breeding ground of rebellious traitors. If I had left you with them, they would have used you to try and take over the government, to seize power for their own-"

"What did you do to Eren?" Historia cut him off, already tiring of the crap he was spewing. "And what did you tell him about us?"

"W-what? The boy?"

"Yes, _Eren_. Did you tell him who you really are?" The way Historia said it, and the look on her face told Rod that, somehow, she knew the truth.

"How do you…" Rod stopped and swallowed thickly. "No, I told that traitor nothing. We can still salvage this Historia, please, help me get to the capitol and together we can fix this. It's your birthright he has taken, and together we can reclaim what he stole."

"My birthright…" She scoffed in disbelief, knowing full well he viewed it as his own, but couldn't bear the consequences of taking it for himself. Coward.

"Answer the rest," she demanded, "what did you do to Eren?"

When they had been kidnapped together, Eren hadn't been physically harmed, but they had only been held for three days, and she had explicitly asked her father not to hurt him. But this time, she wasn't there, and Eren had been held captive for much longer.

She wanted to know what he had done to her friend.

"The boy's father and his conspirators stole our family's future and left us defenceless. It was my duty to find out what he knew, so they could all be punished for their treason. So, I gave the boy a simple choice; Tell me their names and he wouldn't be harmed. But he stubbornly refused."

"…What did you do?" If Rod had heard the dangerous note of Historia's voice, he might have stopped talking instead of pressing on. The fact he sounded almost proud of himself only made it worse.

"I punished him, and the other one, every day so he would tell me the truth, and know a fraction of the suffering our family has felt. Yet he continued to play stupid, pretending he knew nothing of the people who attacked our family and me. But I know that if they had not escaped, and Kenny not betrayed me, I would have broken him… I was so close."

The temperature of the alleyway seemed to plummet until it felt like ice could form and creep up the stone walls that surrounded them. It was only then; when Rod saw the truly murderous expression on his daughter's face, that he realised his mistake.

"You did what?" The words were cold and quiet, barely above a whisper, yet sounded infinitely more dangerous than before. "You tortured him…"

"I-it was necessary to protect the family." Rod stammered out, beads of sweat appearing on his brow. "I did it for you Historia, for the daughter I love."

"_Love me_?!" Historia spat the words like they were poison. "You banished me to the military to die. You kidnapped and tortured my friend. And you repeatedly sent your psychopaths to capture me, endangered my comrades time and time again.

"Does that sound like _love_ to you?!" she snapped, body shaking with rage as her hands curled into fists. "The first time I even met you, was when Kenny slit my mother's throat right in front of my eyes. I was ten years old, and you made me watch that. And the only reason you stopped Kenny from killing me, was that you thought I could be of use to you in the future."

"No! I had no choice, the assembly… they ordered the killing because they were worried about the succession. Having you join the military was the only alternative they would accept, so that's what I did; I even made sure there was a place for you in the MPs, regardless of your results. I did everything I could to keep you alive and safe because you are my daughter, my family!" Rod pleaded with wide eyes, tracks of half-dried tears snaking down his face.

"I don't know what those scouts have been telling you about me, but they are lying to you. I love you, Historia, just as I loved Frieda and all your siblings! You must believe me."

Everything seemed to go deadly still for Historia, as all other sounds except for her heartbeat, loudly pounding in her ear, faded into a distant buzzing noise. She could feel her blood boiling in her veins until it felt like liquid fire was pulsing through them.

How dare he…

How **DARE** he try and throw Frieda in her face!

He had no right, no right at all to use her name as a weapon to try and control her. Did he have even an ounce of shame in his body? What sort of sick twisted bastard would use his dead daughter's name like that?

She clenched her fists even tighter until her fingernails punctured through the soft skin of her palm, drawing out tiny trickles of blood. The sharp throb of pain that caused was just enough to cut through the blinding fury she felt, restoring her semblance of control and pulling her back from the edge.

Historia closed her eyes for a moment letting out a long shaky breath. He wasn't worth it, she told herself. This 'man' didn't even deserve an emotional response from her, let alone one of such overwhelming rage.

She was stronger than that. She was better than that.

As her cold blue eyes flickered open, displaying none of the anger that had threatened to consume her only moments ago, Historia grabbed the strap of her rifle and slipped it off her shoulder, holding the long firearm in her slightly bloody hands.

Did Rod genuinely think she was so desperate for his affection and love that the mere mention of her half brothers and sisters would be enough to make her fall to her knees and beg for his forgiveness, to abandon her friends to his whims?

Placing the butt of the rifle against the grove of her shoulder, with the muzzle still pointed at the ground, Historia looked her father dead in the eye and let the words fall from her lips.

"You're a lying piece of shit."

Rod recoiled as if physically struck, but Historia didn't let up. "You are the biggest coward I have ever met; scum who is willing to sacrifice his own children, so he can live a little bit longer and wield power through them."

"Your 'love' means nothing to me; YOU mean nothing to me. I have a real family now, people who love me because of who I am, not because they want to use me to save their own skin. People you've hurt."

Historia thought about her friends as she clicked back the flint hammer and levelled the gun at her father's head; Ymir, Armin, Mikasa, Eren and the others. They were the people who mattered to her; they were her family now. Not this snivelling, lying, coward of a man.

"Historia, what are you doing!?" Rod cried out; the sting of his daughter's rejection quickly replaced with terror, as he stared down a barrel of her gun.

"What they should have done after they took your fingers. Goodbye, _father_." She sneered out, disdain dripping from every syllable, and pulled the trigger.

* * *

The single shot which echoed down the alleyway like a thunderclap was only heard by one other person. Ymir resisted the urge to run back into the darkness, nervously tapping her foot against the ground as she waited.

Once the ringing in her ears had disappeared, she heard light footsteps coming behind her. As she turned around, Historia appeared out from the darkness, the rifle slung over her other shoulder and tiny flecks of blood marking her dark combat boots.

Historia came to a stop in front of Ymir, and the two girls stared at each other, wondering who would break the silence and speak first. The Commander might have wanted Reiss captured alive, and while Ymir didn't give a damn what he wanted and had no intention of following that order, she was surprised that Historia had refused it as well.

"So," Ymir caved first, looking down the alley then around the area with exaggerated curiosity. "No luck down that alley then?" she asked, loudly.

Historia shook her head.

"Ah… that's a shame. Oh well, let's keep looking." Cocking her head to the side, Ymir pointed further up the main road, far away from their current position. "I don't think we searched over there yet. Shall we?"

As they walked up the deserted street, stepping over rubble and manoeuvring around fires, Historia slipped a hand into Ymir's, interlacing their fingers and giving them a loving squeeze. "Thank you," she quietly mumbled, resting her head against Ymir's toned arm.

Ymir just smiled and squeezed back. Lying to Historia about her true nature tore at her heart, but lying for her?

Now _that _she was more than happy to do.


	22. Deicide - To kill a God

Eleven Days Prior

10:53 pm

12 hours before Armoured Titan sighting

"...And when he pushed open the creaky wooden door, rather than finding his long-lost wife, all he found… was BLOOD!" Hanji shouted, shooting up and loudly clapping her hands together. The burst of movement was enough to make all the scouts listening to the section commander jump in surprise.

It had been a long day for the scouts, having left the HQ at first light, and travelling at a leisurely pace through the rolling fields, large communal farms and numerous villages of Wall Rose's south-east quarter. They had been riding for hours when Hanji finally called a stop as the sun starting to dip beyond the horizon.

Between the twenty-odd soldiers, they had set up their tents in a narrow valley within the hour and were already preparing their dinner over the campfire before the sun fully set behind the distant Wall Rose.

As they all sat around the fire, nibbling at the rations of skewered meat they had cooked up, Jean asked why they had travelled so far away and what they were doing here. Hanji informed them that this was their squad tryout exercise, and she would be recording each person's skills and abilities, both in 3DMG and survival training, so that the Commander could decide which squad they should join.

Then, before anyone else could ask another question, Hanji looked over the group and asked if anyone had any good ghost stories to pass the time since training didn't start till tomorrow. After a few aborted attempts by other scouts, Hanji waved them all off, cleared her throat and started telling her own, to the resigned sighs of her squad members.

What followed was a three-hour slog, of winding plot lines, increasingly fantastical locations and at least four separate spins off stories which were all personal anecdotes about Titans. And that, in Hanji's own words, was one of her shorter stories.

A very long day, indeed.

"So, how was that? Scary, right?" Hanji asked, dropping back down onto the logs they had rolled over to the fire for seating. A broad smile had already spread across her face, eagerly anticipating the wild applause she knew such a great story deserved.

Instead of applause, all Hanji got was an awkward silence which was eventually broken by a bleary-eyed Jean sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "Errrm… Wasn't the man looking for his daughter?"

Hanji's head snapped around to look at Jean, her enthusiasm noticeably faltering at his question. "What?" She asked him.

Seeing how everyone was now looking at him, Jean shrunk into himself as he answered the scientist's question, mentally kicking himself the whole time. "The man in your story. Earlier you said he was looking for his daughter, but you finished it about his wife."

"Oh, did I? Hmm…" Hanji stroked her chin, looking deep in thought, before leaping to her feet again. "Ah-ha, I got the ghost daughter story mixed up with the dead wife one, silly me. Well, let me finish the ghost daughter one properly, or you'll be confused."

Fortunately for the horrified recruits, before Hanji made them sit through another story, Moblit forced a cough distracting the woman from her newest tale.

"Section Commander, it's getting quite late, perhaps we should turn in for the night. The recruits have a busy day tomorrow." He hinted with a pointed look.

With a quick glance up at the moon gleaming in the inky night sky, as if to verify Moblit's claim of lateness, Hanji let out a disappointed sigh and a shrug. "Right you are, Moblit, I guess the rest can wait till tomorrow night."

With a silent cheer, everyone stood up and started heading towards their tents, eager to catch some sleep after their ordeal, but their hopes were almost immediately crushed.

"Hang on a minute you lot." Hanji's voice called them back. "We need some volunteers to stay up and keep watch. Bandits occasionally operate in this region." It didn't go unnoticed by the recruits how all of the more experienced scouts had miraculously disappeared and could no longer be picked upon to stay up.

Hanji hadn't been expecting any volunteers, and so she wasn't surprised when no-one stepped forward. No-one ever wanted to be on night duty. Still, being the highest-ranking officer present, Hanji's seniority came with many benefits, one of which was being able to 'volunteer' whoever she wanted.

"How about our top ten?" she said with a wide smile, the moonlight reflecting off her goggles, "After all, you've already got your foot in the door for any squad, so a bit less shut-eye won't hurt your chances." Before any of the four top-ten members could possibly protest, Hanji spoke up again. "Excellent, thank you for volunteering. Now, judging by the position of the moon, I reckon it should be around two hours shifts for each of you till sunrise."

"You've probably done this many times before, so I'll let you sort out the shifts between yourselves. See you in the morning!" And with that, Hanji sauntered away toward the warmth of her tent and cosiness of her sleeping bag.

'_Ah,' _she thought with a wry smile, _'It's good being me.' _

* * *

Bertholdt sat by the low fire, occasionally jabbing at it with a stick trying to keep it going. They had drawn straws, and he had drawn the shortest one, which meant he had the second watch, right in the dead of night. However, he wasn't too upset with that, as he doubted he'd be getting any sleep tonight regardless of his shift.

The crushing weight of his situation had become almost unbearable; the harrowing loneliness and despair he felt every day had grown infinitely worse with Reiner's recent incident, and it had forced him to seek refuge from it by letting his mind wander away from reality.

He liked to imagine his life without this mission; him being back in Liberio with his family, or even just fighting Marley's other enemies in one of their never-ending series of wars. At least then he wouldn't have to lie about what he truly was.

Eldian. Devil. Warrior. Colossal. Traitor. Murderer.

In his mind, he could be honest with the people he knew. He wouldn't have to lie to everyone he met and wouldn't have to do every day for the last four years. Others would still despise him, but he could handle their open disdain. It was the looks of genuine friendship and acceptance he got here that he couldn't handle, knowing damn well he didn't deserve them.

Sometimes he liked to imagine he had been born here, that he was just another soldier fighting Titans for 'humanity', growing up ignorant of the world and the truth, but at least accepted as equals.

Bertholdt realised the bitter irony of what he was doing; imagining this fool's paradise of his. It was precisely what Reiner had been doing for the last few years to try and escape the guilt until he had delved too deep into his fantasy and lost himself entirely.

Now his Reiner was gone, and he was alone in more ways than one. Reiner could be on the other side of Wall Sina for all he knew, with this stupid training exercise separating them.

As he leaned closer to the fire, hoping to offset the chill, one of the charred logs cracked open, sending sparks spitting off in multiple directions. One landed on his hand, and the brief burning sensation caused him to drop the stick and yank his hand away.

'_Even nature is punishing me now…' _Rubbing the fresh red mark on his hand, Bertholdt willed it to heal and watched as the skin turned back to its natural pale colour before his eyes.

Flexing his hand, Bertholdt realised that using his healing ability for a wound that small was stupid. His Titan required so much energy to be created that even small usages of healing over a single day could prevent a full transformation. And if anyone had seen it…

Well, Bertholdt wasn't too worried about that, even a partial transformation at this range would be enough to reduce all of the tents, and the scouts within them, to nothingness. And then with his identity compromised, he would have a legitimate reason to stop pretending and leaving this island behind for good.

'_And go where?' _He argues at himself, _'Home? Having lost two shifters and abandoning a third, with nothing to show for it except one broken wall and the possible suggestion that Eren may be the Founding Titan.'_

Another snort leaves his nose, even more bitter than before. He knew exactly what would happen to him if he did that; the Colossal would be passed on immediately, probably to Porco if he was still alive, and his family would have their 'honourary Marleyan' status stripped from them for his failure.

Then all of his pain and suffering would be for nothing.

Even if he was stupid enough to try, knowing what fate awaited him, there was no way he could make it. Even with Annie and Reiner taking turns after Marcel's death, they had barely made it to the first Wall from the docks. He certainly wouldn't be able to do it in his form, and without Annie, he would be dependant on Reiner if he ever snapped out of it, but even then Bertholdt didn't know if they would make it.

'_Maybe we could ask Eren for a lift… I'm sure that would work out just fine.'_ Bertholdt fights off an empty laugh at that idea and how it would play out.

'_Hey Eren, I'm the Colossal Titan and Reiner is the Armoured, but he has completely lost his mind so doesn't know that. Anyway, I know we killed your mother and tens of thousands of others, but we'd like to go home now, so would you mind giving us a hand? Oh, and we might need you to come home with us so that Marley doesn't instantly execute us as failures. What do you say?'_

Would Eren even bother shifting or would he just lunge at them with his bare hands?

Bertholdt briefly considers holding Armin or Mikasa hostage to get Eren to comply, but that idea is just as ridiculous, if not more. With how dangerous Mikasa is both with and without 3DM gear, and Armin's own skill and frightening intelligence, capturing either of them might be harder than convincing Eren to willingly join them.

Snatching up the stick again, Bert goes to jab his frustrations away on the fire when a low cough causes his heart to skip a beat. Leaping to his feet, and nearly tripping over the log, Bertholdt span round wielding the burnt stick as if it were a sword towards his source of the sound.

From the darkness, a figure slowly stepped forward, their hands raised, as the light of the fire cast an orange glow across his boyish face and bright blond hair.

"A-Armin?" Bertholdt called, letting the stick droop slightly. "Damn, you scared the hell out of me. Is my watch over already?"

"Hey, Bert. Sorry about that, I didn't mean to frighten you." Armin replied, keeping his voice low as to not wake the others. "And no, unfortunately, you've still got a little while. But I couldn't sleep and thought you could do with some company…" He pointed at the log on the other side of the fire where he could sit.

"Oh... s-sure, some company would be nice." To his own surprise, Bertholdt found he wasn't lying to Armin as he retook his seat. Some company _would_ be a nice distraction from the hopeless situation he found himself in, even if it was from someone whose life he had ruined.

As Armin sat across from him, pulling his green cloak around his lithe body as a buffer from the cold, Bertholdt couldn't help but reminisce on the blond boy. In the first few weeks after joining the 104th, before Reiner had started losing his mind and Annie had deserted them, the three of them had assessed their fellow cadets for any potential threats to their mission. Naively, they had only looked at personalities and physical prowess, so both Eren and Mikasa had been noted, but Armin as the timidest and smallest of the trio had been dismissed out of hand.

Yet as the first few months of training ticked by, Bertholdt realised they had made a terrible mistake. Armin was a more significant threat to the three of them than his two friends combined, even before his sudden improvement in 3DMG halfway through their first year. His mind was one of the most brilliant and terrifying things Bertholdt had ever seen; every detail and nugget of information no matter how insignificant it seemed was filed away in the blond's mind, ready to be recalled and used at a moment's notice.

And Bertholdt didn't even consider that the worst part. It was his eyes, those bright blue orbs, that seemed to be constantly watching and monitoring everything going on around him with piercing clarity.

Whenever Eren looked at him, he only saw misguided friendship or fiery passion for his mad Titan killing crusade.

The few times Mikasa had looked at him, he felt like he was two inches tall, something so insignificant that he was beneath her notice. Like a speck of dirt on her shoe.

But whenever Armin looked at him, even for a moment, it felt like another layer of his false identity had been painfully peeled away like a layer of skin, coming ever closer to exposing what truly lay beneath.

If anyone was going to discover their true identities, it would be Armin. Bertholdt was sure of it.

And yet, as the blond boy sat there, rubbing his hands together under the cloak, Bertholdt couldn't help but feel a flutter in his chest knowing that Armin had come out into the cold to sit with him. He wouldn't say the two of them were 'friends', as they had rarely spent any time together that wasn't mandated by Shadis or other officers, but the fact he cared enough to come out regardless meant a lot to him but also felt like a knife to the heart.

'_If only he knew the truth about me… What would he do if I told him?_

Maybe Armin would just laugh it off, thinking it was some sick joke, or perhaps he would shout for Mikasa and the others for help. Bertholdt doubted Armin would lunge at him like Eren would, that just wasn't his personality to be so impulsive, but he also doubted Armin would just run away.

'_What would you do Armin? With all of that intelligence would you find some way of fighting me… to fight the Colossal Titan unprepared, alone and without gear or allies? Could you find a way to stop me before I shift and turn this entire valley to ash?' _

"You alright, Bert? You look spaced out." Armin's breathy voice nearly made Bertholdt jump, and he quickly looked away from the blond, realising he must have been staring.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He lied, "Just a bit cold."

"Ah…" With a quick glance around, making sure they were alone, Armin gave Bertholdt a sly grin. "Well… I've got something which can help with that." There was a rustle of fabric as he pulled something from under his cloak and held it aloft.

Dangling from a thin strap was an old leathery bola bag which sloshed slightly as it swayed in the wind.

With a strangled cough, Bertholdt stared at the bag with wide eyes. That couldn't be what he thought it was, Armin wasn't that sort of guy, was he?

"Is that…" he started, swallowing his surprise.

"Yep, the finest home-grown wine the corp can brew." Armin answered with a smirk, "I borrowed it from the supply wagon earlier."

"You took it from the cart?! Armin, if they catch you with that…" Bertholdt warned but didn't take his eyes off the swaying bag.

During their training days, they had discovered that Connie had a strange connection with one of the kitchen hands. And while he never said how or why, Connie occasionally brought a bottle of wine back to the dorm which they passed around, drinking and chatting into the small hours of the night. It always made for a rough morning of training, but those few hours where they all acted like normal teenagers rather than the soldiers/warriors they were was priceless to Bertholdt; the memories of him laughing with Jean about some silly joke, teasing Connie about his closeness with Sasha or just talking to Marco for hours at a time about friends and family.

Perhaps he had associated those few precious memories with the taste of alcohol, or maybe he just wanted to drink away his worries for one night. Still, either way, he unconsciously licked his lips at the sound of the swilling liquid.

"Nah, we'll be fine. I was talking to one of the older scouts earlier, and apparently, it's a bit of a tradition within the corp for the new recruits to get drunk after their first expedition." Armin tossed the bag to him with a smile. "She was the one who told me where to find this."

With all the grace his jumpy, nervous, six-foot-tall body could muster, Bertholdt managed to catch the bag, immensely grateful for the cork seal was still on. He didn't want to spill it all over him, as wine stains were worse than blood to deal with.

'_I shouldn't.'_ he thought, pulling out the cork with a satisfying *pop*. Getting drunk would be a terrible idea, all things considered. He needed to stay sober so he could complete this training and get back to Reiner as soon as possible.

He wrinkled his nose as the smell hit him. It wasn't a bad smell, but it was definitely strong.

'_...fuck it. One sip wouldn't hurt.' _He reasoned, bringing the bag to his lips.

Bertholdt expected to feel the telltale burn of cheap alcohol as the wine entered his mouth and passed down his throat but was pleasantly surprised at the smooth fruity taste it left behind. He could taste berries, grapes and the slightest hint of almonds dancing on his taste buds.

"Wow," He said, smacking his lips together before taking another deep gulp so he could enjoy the pool of warm which had formed in his belly. "This is really good."

Armin nodded in agreement as he took the reluctantly offered drink back, and had a quick swig. Bertholdt wondered if Armin had already had a few sips before coming out, as he partially misses his mouth, allowing a trail of wine to trickle down his chin and splash onto his cloak.

They shared a quick look before Armin let out a low laugh, bringing his hand up to wipe away the leakage. Bert quickly joined in, snorting in amusement as Armin tried to rub the reddish stains off his cloak. It reminded him of the times they got caught out drinking by Shadis when someone turned up to morning inspection with wine dotted shirts or trousers.

'_Happier times.'_ Bertholdt fondly recalled, curious as to how Armin would hide that in the morning.

The idea that Armin had kept his mouth firmly shut on purpose, never crossed Bertholdt's mind.

With a final futile rub, Armin seems to accept the folly of trying to clean his cloak right now and lets out a defeated sigh. "Just like the old days, huh?" Armin scoffed, wiping his hand on the log, before conceded what Bertholdt had initially suspected, "I guess that's a sign I've already had too much." He passed the bag back without a word, which Bert eagerly accepted.

It really was just like old times.

The two boys sat together in comfortable silence as Bertholdt freely drank and Armin politely declined any further offers of accepting the bag back. It was peaceful, and it almost succeeded in distracting Bert from his worries.

But the brief moment of comfort he felt wasn't to last, and as quickly as it arrived, it was violently torn away from him.

"Did you see it out there?" Armin abruptly spoke, craning his head in the vague direction of Wall Rose as he did so.

"See what?" Bertholdt replied, unsure what Armin was talking about. With slightly blurry vision, Bert turned his head and followed Armin's gaze but could see nothing.

"The Armoured Titan." Armin elaborated, still looking away as if searching for something in the dark night.

_*thump thump*_

The words were enough to send Bertholdt's stomach plummeting into a pit, as the warmth from the wine and fire fled his body, leaving only an icy chill gripping him. He felt his heart rate pick up as a bead of sweat materialised on his brow.

"N-no," he managed to stammer out, fighting the urge to curl into himself or flee. "I didn't see it." The statement was half right; He hadn't seen Reiner's Titan, only the blabbering shifter who quickly passed out in his arms then woke up as a completely different person.

"D-did you?" The natural follow up question slipped out before Bertholdt could even consider the consequences. Armin needed to be lead away from Reiner, not encouraged to think more about him!

"Not during the expedition," Armin answered with a shrug, "but I have seen it before. When Eren, Mikasa and I were on the evacuation boat from Shiganshina, I saw it smash through the inner gate then just stood there, staring over at us as we sailed away."

Armin's hands snaked under his cloak, rubbing them on his arms, as he remembered _that_ day.

"It's been years since it happened, but I still have nightmares about that moment. Sometimes I'm on the boat, but it left Mikasa and Eren behind, and I have to watch them be torn apart by Titans. Other times I'm alone on the riverbank, watching the boat fade over the horizon as the normal Titans spew through the breach and gather around me."

_*thump thump*_

_*thump thump*_

Somehow Bertholdt's stomach seemed to sink even lower into dispair as Armin told his story.

Every day he saw reminders of what they had done to these people; the ever-present rationing and hunger, the overcrowdedness, strict military curfews, and constant outbreaks of disease from the squalid conditions people were forced to live in, and Bertholdt had desperately tried to dissociate himself from it.

He tried to fool himself into believing that because he didn't know any of those people, that his actions were not personal against them, and that he was just following orders. Marley was the one responsible for their suffering with its cold, emotionless act of war.

But hearing it from someone he knew, someone he had trained alongside for years, that what they had done four years ago was still causing Armin to suffer from nightmares made him feel sick.

"I… I'm sorry." Bertholdt's whispered apology caused Armin's back to go rigid, shoulders pulling tight before slumping down. His head dropped, blond hair obscuring his face from Bertholdt's roaming eyes. Whatever expression was on the boy's downturned face, it was wiped away and replaced with a tight smile when he looked back up. But Bertholdt could plainly see it was forced, not quite reaching his sad blue eyes.

"Thanks, Bert," Armin muttered with a shake of his head, bringing his hands out from under his cloak and fiddling with his thumbs. "But I should be the one apologising, I shouldn't have dumped that on you. You've probably got enough bad memories of your home falling in the breach without hearing mine."

"T-that's alright, I know talking about stuff like that can help. Was that why you couldn't sleep tonight? The nightmares?"

"Kinda… I've been thinking about what happened out there, and why the Armoured Titan turned up again after all these years."

_*thump thump*_

_*thump thump*_

Bertholdt's sweaty palms tightly gripped the bola bag, forcing some of the wine to seep out of the uncorked mouthpiece. The sick feeling was back with a vengeance, fear gripping him at Armin's confession. If there was one thing Bertholdt wanted to avoid at all costs, it was Armin looking into them or their Titans, but if he was already looking into them, he had to find out how much he knew. Everything could depend on it.

"A-and what do you think about h-_it_?" He barely stopped himself from referring to Reiner as he, instead of it like all the other scouts did.

"Well," the blond started slowly, seemingly oblivious to Bertholdt's fears. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but I think the Armoured Titan might be like Eren. A person who can turn into a Titan."

_***THUMP THUMP***_

Bertholdt's mouth dried up like the mid-east deserts, as it open and closed soundlessly in stunned disbelief. He couldn't believe it, all those years of secrecy and Armin had figured out the truth after two sightings.

His hidden blade burnt like red hot coal against his skin, as Bertholdt choked out a single word.

"W-what?"

"Think about it." Armin said, gesturing with his hands, "The Armoured Titan is clearly intelligent, we knew that even before the expedition when it targeted Shiganshina's inner gate and ignored the soldiers trying to defend it. But out there, it went straight for the centre of the formation where Eren was. It must have known that was the safest place for him to be placed as it would offer the most protection."

"And from what I've heard, no-one saw it approaching the formation from the outside, yet it somehow managed to devastate the right flank before any sort of warning could be sent. Surely someone would have seen a giant, armoured plated Titan running towards them, but if it just appeared beside them, then the lack of warning would make sense."

"Th-that seems like a leap Armin, after all, Eren is unique, right?" Finally finding his voice, Bert desperately tried to convince Armin he was wrong, to try and lead him astray. "If it's intelligent, wouldn't it make more sense that it just lay in wait in the woods as an ambush?"

Armin fixed his unnerving gaze upon him, "That's what I thought that at first until we got sent here. While we were riding, I was talking to Miss Nifa, and she mentioned how strange it was that Commander Erwin ordered us to do these trials so far away from the HQ since all the equipment we needed was there. Now we've ended up in the middle of nowhere, miles away from the nearest settlement and most of us are missing our gear. And I bet a weeks worth of latrine duty the others are in similar situations."

Armin's deep blue eyes glanced around, checking they were alone, before leaning forward and whispering to the terrified Colossal Titan. "We've been isolated."

_***THUMP THUMP***_

_***THUMP THUMP***_

Cold sweat dripped down Bertholdt's pale face. There was a sudden tightness in his chest that hadn't been there before, squeezing the air from his lungs until he struggled to breathe. All he could think about was what Armin had said.

They knew. The scouts knew, and they were looking for Reiner.

'_Shit, shit, shit!'_

If they find him in his condition he'll never be able to defend himself, he'd probably surrender himself into their custody without a fight, thinking it was another training session.

Jumping to his feet and dropping the bag of wine on the ground, Bertholdt didn't even hear his own muttered remark about needed the toilet over the heavy palpitations of his heart. To hell with the mission, Marley could capture the founder themselves if they wanted it so badly. He was getting his friend, and they were leaving this God-forsaken island right now.

He started moving away from the campfire, almost breaking into a run towards the sleeping horses, when the world started to spin.

***THUMP THU-***

Everything stopped. Sounds, movement, even his own breathing. All of it stopped for Bertholdt as his heart, which had been rapidly thumping away in his chest only seconds before, suddenly seized up. Bertholdt gasped, as the air was driven from his lungs and went to clutch at his twitching heart, but found that his arm couldn't move, frozen stiff against his side as his fingers sluggishly curled into a half-fist before they too went stiff.

And then the pain started. It began as a terrible pressure spreading over his upper body, crawling up his chest then into his arms and neck, bubbling beneath his skin like a wild animal trying to escape. The pressure continued to build, squeezing his innards together and compressing his ribcage until it feels like one solid block of bone, which grounded against his lungs until it felt like his body was about to implode.

Bertholdt tried to let out an anguished scream, but his jaw had clamped shut, and his vocal cords were stiff and unmoving. A low whine, no louder than a forced exhale, escaped his gritted teeth and whistled into the night.

Finally, the horrific agony reached his petrified legs, one still raised mid-step off the ground, and cut deep into his bones and muscles, tearing away the strength they needed to support his elongated frame. A faint gust of wind was all it took to send the shifter toppling to the floor, his frozen body, unable to even tense up to soften the blow, crashed down with a low thud.

Armin hadn't moved an inch since Bertholdt stood up and started walking away from the campfire. He only watched on with cold indifference as the shifter collapsed, his body shuddering and twitching in the dirt before finally falling still as the paralysis took full effect.

After waiting for a few seconds, Armin let out a long, shaky breath when he wasn't reduced to atoms by a world-shattering explosion. _'Finally.'_ he thought, snatching the fallen bag of wine from the ground and slowly rising to his feet.

Keeping one eye on the fallen warrior, Armin swilled the wine bag around, feeling the greatly diminished weight in his hand after all Bertholdt had drunk. Then, using his spare hand to pinch his nose closed, he upended the bag and allowed the wine to pour out onto the fire.

The flames hissed and recoiled from the falling liquid, convulsing as the wine splashed the burning wood then flaring up again as the alcohol ignited, and briefly illuminated the area before dimming back down.

With a last shake of the bag, Armin forced the last few droplets of wine out onto the fire, destroying the remains of that tainted drink, leaving only a faint fruity scent behind. Soon enough, even that small piece of evidence would be wafted away by the wind and smoke.

"Essence of Nightshade," Armin quietly announced, knowing Bertholdt could still hear him. He stashed the empty bola bag within his cloak, knowing that it too would have to be destroyed before the night is over. There could be no trace leftover.

"Hanji had been planning on testing it on the captured Titans before you killed them. Fortunately, she kept the sample in case they acquired another subject, but I had to break into her lab to find it. It wasn't easy, but I managed."

As he confessed his plan to the helpless shifter, Armin walked over and crouched down beside the poisoned Bertholdt. "A few drops is enough to kill a full-grown man. Once it enters your bloodstream, it attacks the heart, while simultaneously moving into your nervous system, blocking the signals from your brain to your muscles, leaving you paralysed. Death usually occurs within a few minutes as your brain is starved of blood and oxygen."

With a grunt, Armin rolled the much heavier boy onto his back and looked down at the sweat coated face, perfectly frozen in an expression of anguished distress. Those terrified eyes stared lifelessly into the night sky; unable to look around, unable to even blink. Armin looked into those brown orbs for a moment before gently running his hand down the shifter's face, closing Bertholdt's eyes.

The boy was in enough pain already, Armin told himself, with his faltering heart and his mind entombed within his unresponsive body. It would serve no purpose, except downright cruelty to force the boy to watch what was about to happen to him as his eyes slowly dried out in the dry night's air.

While Armin's intentions had been good, Bertholdt certainly didn't think so. Already scared beyond rational thought at the fact his body was completely frozen, and he couldn't move as well as Armin's confession slamming into his brain, having another one of his senses stolen away, and plunging his world into darkness, pushed him even further into manic terror.

In fact, the terror he felt at the moment was so all-consuming, that he didn't even feel the two fingers Armin had pressed the side of neck, probing for the faint, unsteady pulse of his crippled heart. Not that he could have done anything regardless.

When Armin felt the weak pulse under his fingers, he knew that the first part of his plan had been successful. Now he needed to hurry up with the second part, there was no telling how long his luck might last.

Pulling his fingers away from Bert's neck, he brought them up to the shifter's face and carefully pried open the clenched jaw, creating a narrow gap between the row of teeth, and looked inside. He had to make sure there was no chance of Bertholdt accidentally biting down on his tongue while they were moving him and shifting.

There might have only been a tiny chance of that, but anything they could do to prevent Bertholdt from using the Colossal had to be implemented, no matter how small. Armin refused to die to something as stupid as a bitten tongue.

Drawing out a long strip of cloth from his pocket, Armin inserted it into the open mouth, pinning down the tongue and tying the two ends together around the back of Bertholdt's head.

"However, shifters are different." Armin continued, giving the gag a quick tug to check it was secured, before moving on to Bertholdt's body, rifling through his shirt looking for the hidden blade. "Your healing ability is doing everything it can to keep you alive, healing your heart as quickly as the poison is destroying it, which will keep you alive a while longer."

Finding the blade in a hand-made inner pocket, Armin gingerly pulled it out taking great care not to nick Bertholdt with the edge.

"For what it is worth, Bertholdt," Armin muttered, safely stashing the blade away in his own pocket, "I am sorry for doing this to you. I wished there was a less painful way, but the Colossal Titan is far too dangerous for half measures… I learnt that the hard way."

Tearing his gaze away, Armin stood up and looked pointedly into the darkness. "It's done," he called, not to the terrified shifter, but to the figure in the shadows who was waiting for his signal.

The soft footsteps moving towards them shattered the minuscule bit of hope Bertholdt still clung on to that Armin might be working alone. Someone else was here, and they must have been watching all this time, doing nothing to help him.

The footsteps grew louder until whoever it was stood by his side, their foreboding presence palpable even without his sight. Somehow, he knew exactly who it was, and his last conscious thought before his mind collapsed into a mess of pain and terror was how utterly screwed he was.

"Good," Mikasa intoned, leaning down to grab Bertholdt's frozen arm. With a low grunt, she lifts his whole body up and tosses it over her shoulder, as if he were a sack of potatoes rather than the living container for the dreaded Colossal Titan.

Sharing a quick look with Armin, the two of them turned around and walked into the darkness, carrying the helpless shifter away without a word.

* * *

Mikasa left the campsite with a person over her shoulder and another by her side. She returned with just one, their unconscious form carefully cradled in her arms.

The shifter marks had almost faded from his face, with the long grooves shrinking down into tiny slits underneath his eyes. His body was hot and clammy to the touch, with every inch of exposed skin covered in a thin layer of sweat from the scorching heat of his recent transformation. Mikasa could feel it, the heat and the sweat, radiating from his body and seeping through her own cotton shirt.

But she didn't care about that one bit; shirts could be cleaned and replaced. Armin could not. If a single dirty shirt was the price she had to pay to feel Armin safe and sound in her arms, then she would happily accept it without a moment's hesitation.

The Campsite was mercifully devoid of activity, with no one else taking up the watch during their absence. Mikasa was grateful for that, for difficult questions about where they had been and why Armin was unconscious was something she could do without right now.

Carefully manoeuvring in between tents, taking extra care not to trip over any of the pegs or ropes Mikasa finally reached her tent, which she had set up as far away from the others as possible without raising suspicions. Taking a final look around to make sure she hadn't been spotted, Mikasa pulled open the flap and carried Armin inside to safety.

The transfer of the Colossal had gone off without a hitch. The pair of them had wandered out of the valley and as far away from the campsite as they dared, with their range bound by Bertholdt's limited lifespan with the toxin still ravaging through his body. After half an hour of walking, their concerns of Bertholdt dropping dead overtook their need for extra privacy, so they were forced to stop at a deserted farm and made their way into a ruined barn overlooking an overgrown field.

The rotting timbers creaking in the wind as Mikasa had carried Bertholdt into the barn, bathing both of them in a milky white glow as the pale moonlight pierced through the hole pocketed roof. Finding a clear patch that wasn't occupied by rusting tools, Mikasa placed the paralysed shifter on the ground with far more delicacy than she thought he deserved.

She didn't just dislike the traitors, she hated them. She hated them for their lies, their betrayal and what they had taken from her; her second home, aunty Carla, friends and countless comrades in arms. She hated them to the point where even hearing their names was enough to twist her stomach in anger.

But Bertholdt was a special case. Everything started with him on that grim day when his giant inhuman face loomed over Wall Maria like a demon. He had been the first Titan Mikasa had seen with her own eyes, and even for a child like her, who had already faced real human monsters, it had terrified her.

And he hadn't stopped there. It was his foot which kicked in the gate, allowing the Titans to flood in and overwhelming Shiganshina in a wave of fleshy monstrosities. It was his foot which sent the chunk of broken gate down on top of her home, leaving Aunty Carla trapped and helpless.

He had taken so much from her, just like the other two, but he had done something else that raised him far above Annie and Reiner on her list of names and brought him on level with people like Zeke, whose lies and manipulations had taken Eren from her.

She would never forgive Bertholdt for what he did to Armin.

With an unbidden blink, Mikasa found herself back on _that _rooftop, recalling every detail of that living nightmare with gut curdling clarity.

She remembered the exhaustion of the fight against Reiner and the pain of her burns and cuts from the failed attack on the Colossal.

She remembered the foul taste of ash and smoke which smothered the city like a blackened blanket and crept into her lungs with every laboured breath.

She remembered the sound of Eren's cry, so raw and desperate that it rang in her ears like a church's bell as she desperately struggling in Hanji's arms, trying to break free of the embrace until the crippling grief took hold and forced her strength to fail.

And she remembered the smell. That awful, hideous stench of burnt meat, superheated tissue and boiling fat which bubbling away as the remains of the Colossal Titan slowly disintegrated behind them. She remembered how it forced its way into her mouth and nose, burning her eyes and choking her lungs, as she gags on its overwhelming stench.

'_No!'_ Mikasa growls as the memory falls away, leaving only the bitter taste still in her mouth. _'Never again.' _She swears,hands tightened into fists as she glared down at Bertholdt, hoping he could feel her disdain and fury through his hooded eyes.

She would never let him hurt Armin or anyone else, ever again.

They will take his power, here and now, and ensure it will never be used against them again. The God of Destruction would protect paradise, protect their friends, just like the Female Titan now did, and soon, so would the Armoured.

"Never again." She whispered, allowing her fists to uncurl as the anger seeped away.

"I'm ready," Armin speaks, walking up from behind her with the spinal fluid injection already in hand. Mikasa looked down at the needle and the cerulean liquid swirling around inside, and felt a small tug in her chest, as yet another painful memory flashed before her eyes.

"_The Owl called it the Curse of Ymir." _The voice in her head was Eren's, sounding older than he did now, yet still younger than she _w_hen he was still their Eren. _"The founder Ymir lived that long after her powers awakened, and no one's power can exceed hers. So when that time closes in, your body weakens… as the vessel finishes serving its purpose."_

Thirteen years, that's all they get. Barely any time at all.

Bringing her eyes back up to Armin face, Mikasa places a hand on top of his, trapping the syringe between them. It wasn't that she doubted his convictions or resolve, she didn't, not even for a second, but if anyone deserved to live a full life, it was Armin. He deserved to spend years, _decades_ even, exploring the world like he always wanted, not have the curse imposed upon him for a second time.

So if she could try and prevent that, she would. Even if that meant leaving him alone when her time came, as painful as that idea was.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked softly, hoping he wouldn't pick up on the almost-pleading tone. Part of her already knew what he was going to say, but she had to ask. Just to be sure.

Armin met and held her gaze, his bright blue eyes against her stormy grey. The expression on his face didn't change as he spoke; there was no hint of annoyance, anger or resentment at her suggestion, nor was there any sign of hesitation or nerves. Just a look of calm determination.

"I promised you that we would do this together." He answered just as softly as a reassuring smile appeared on his face. As he smiled at her Armin extend two fingers and rested them against Mikasa's wrist, feeling the rhythmic pulse of her heartbeat through her porcelain skin.

Mikasa felt her concerns abating as she unconsciously relaxed into the touch. It was a habit she had developed years ago from a lifetime of closeness and mutual understanding. The brief physical contact between them which meant more than a hundred words, a feeling which couldn't be put into words, yet conveyed surety, comfort, support, compassion, sympathy and a hundred other emotions all rolled into a single fleeting touch.

It was their thing, something they had developed independently of Eren or anyone else. Something few people could ever truly understand.

"And I meant it." Armin said with a note of finality as he pulled his arm back, breaking the connection and letting his hand, and the injection, slip from her grasp.

Two minutes later Mikasa watched the barn from a reasonable distance away as a Titan materialised inside it, blasting away the remains of the roof and flattening the timbers walls with its transformation. Armin's pure Titan looked the same as she remembered it; five meters tall with short limbs and a stumpy barrelled torso. Its long straw-like blond hair fell over its narrow face as it dug through the debris, looking for the human it instinctively needed to devour.

This time there was no screaming or cries for help from Bertholdt as the Titan scooped his immobile body off the ground. The shifter was utterly rigid and unmoving in the Titan's hand and remained unnaturally silent as he was placed headfirst between the growling Titan's teeth.

Knowing what came next, Mikasa averted her gaze as the teeth closed around the warrior's skull. The loud crunch which followed sent a shiver down her spine. _'It's done.' _Mikasa thought, ignoring the empty-sensation in her stomach as the sounds of cracking bones and tearing flesh rang through the night.

As the Titan tore the now very dead Bertholdt in half, Mikasa distracted herself from the grisly sounds by assessing their situation. After tonight, Reiner was all that remained of Marley's infiltration team; two Titans were now firmly in their hands, and the other one was at least out of Marley's.

But even alone Reiner could be a challenge to deal with. As much as it infuriated her to admit, Reiner had put up far more of a fight than she had anticipated. If it hadn't been for the sudden unlocking of her hardening abilities, she would have lost that fight, and any hope for their plan would have come crashing down around them.

However, her unfounded confidence which had bordered on brazen arrogance had been tempered after that incident, and now Mikasa would approach the Reiner situation with the seriousness it deserved. He had to be dealt with, swiftly and decisively, and preferably from the shadows rather than another destructive brawl. And while she trusted Armin to put together a plan to do just that, there was still one burning question left on her mind.

Who was going to inherit the Armoured Titan?

It was a question she hadn't given much thought to before, being more focused on actually taking out the original shifter than what happened next, but now it couldn't be put off any further. Mikasa briefly considers one of them doubling up on shifter powers, but quickly dismisses it as a bad idea.

They still didn't understand the effect multiple Titan's had on mental health, and the benefits to either of their Titan's in gaining a plate of armour wouldn't offset the 'loss' of a separate shifter. So it would have to be someone else, someone who wasn't already a shifter.

Mikasa frowned at the name which kept popping up in her head and started chewing her lower lip when she couldn't entirely dismiss it outright. There was only one other person they could trust right now to take it.

Historia.

Tactically it made sense. She was one of them, sent back in time and given a second chance. She was already assisting them and knew what awaited them beyond the walls and what would happen if they failed. Historia was trustworthy, reliable, already involved and, with her relationship with Ymir blossoming, had a powerful motivation for them to win.

There was just one thing that made her hesitate. _'Royal blood.' _The cold voice in her head spat out the words, forcefully reminding Mikasa of the terrible fate awaiting Historia before they had returned.

If they asked her to or pressured her into taking the power, then they would be no different from Zachary and Kiyomi, forcing Historia to slash her life span for their own benefit. And if they did that, what would be the point of this second chance if they just repeated the mistakes of the past.

No, they couldn't ask Historia to do this, not after everything she had been through. Perhaps if she volunteered it would be different, but the once Queen of the land had made no mention of inheriting a power or an indication she wanted one.

The alternative would be to take it out of their hands entirely. They could try and capture Reiner and hand him over to Commander Erwin with one of their injections and let him decide who should inherit it. They would have to explain everything to the imposing man about their true nature and how they came to know about the traitors, but Mikasa knew it would have had to happen eventually.

But that came with yet another problem, even if Erwin believed their unbelievable story. If the government found out…

Well, they hated the Survey corp already and were constantly looking for an excuse to defund and disband them. If they heard the corp suddenly had numerous shifters at their service, the government would accuse them of planning some sort of coup and sent the MPs after them quicker than they could blink.

Sometimes it felt like for every problem they solved, two more would take its place. First, it was Annie, which lead to Trost, now it was the two remaining traitors, which would lead to problems from their own Government, and after that they still had to deal with Zeke, Marley and possibly the rest of the world.

"One problem at a time." Mikasa mumbled to herself as the Titan ripped off a leg with a shake of its head.

By the walls, she was tired. The constant threat and stress of their situation was exhausting, and Mikasa knew it was going to get worse before it got better.

If… no, _when _they succeed Mikasa decided that Armin and herself deserved a nice long holiday. Maybe they could find a cosy house by the beach or in the mountains; spend a few days away from everything and every one and do nothing but sleep for several days.

Despite the macabre display happening nearby and the chill of the night air, Mikasa found her face warming up and her cheeks taking on a reddish hue as she thought about that.

She liked that idea. She liked it a lot… And not just the bit about catching up on much-needed sleep.

The corners of her lips twitched up into a sad smile, as the Titan consumed the last pieces of Bertholdt before collapsing on the ground with a hefty thud. As Mikasa ran toward the steaming mass, she could only hope that they would live long enough to enjoy the peace they were fighting for.


	23. The Morning After

**If you're in this for the plot then this chapter may be disappointing for you, for this is pure AM fan-service and Jean teasing. But if you're in it for that reason, then enjoy!**_  
_

* * *

_Darkness_

_Silence_

_Emptiness_

_A flicker_

_A noise_

_A sob, unearthly and ethereal._

"_It hurts…"_

"_It hurts so bad…"_

_The Hero looks towards the source._

_He sees nothing at first, his icy gaze unable to pierce the inky void. It's only when he blinks that something pulls backs the cloak of darkness, allowing a ghostly white light to shine upon a vast malformed skull. Half of its haunting visage was stripped down to the bone, while the other half was still covered in muscles and sinews, the stringy fibres pulled tight and moulded into the inhuman face of the Colossal Titan._

_The Hero had seen this monstrosity once before. At the time he had only stared it, struck dumb with horror as his last memories, filled with only fire and pain, force their way to the forefront of his mind. He had been so sure he had ended up in some kind of twisted afterlife, that he had nearly broken down and cried in relief when he finally woke up atop Wall Maria alive and well._

_But the young and hopeful boy the Hero had been then was gone, replaced with the man he had become. A man moulded by the terrible burden he shouldered, and the weight of the unspoken responsibility he had desperately tried to live up to._

"_I know." The Hero finally answered, resolutely staring at the Colossal's sunken eye. There was no need to fear the dead, and even less of a reason to lie to them._

_"Why… Why me…" The skull sobbed as a single tear trailed down its face._

_"...Because only one of us can survive the coming war, and I intend to make sure it's us." The Hero turned and started to walk away before stopping and calling over his shoulder at the spectral remains of the fallen warrior. "I don't know if she cared for you, but I do know your feelings for her. Perhaps you will find her again someday."_

_With his piece said and nothing else left to tell the skull, Armin closed his eyes and walked off into the void. _

* * *

When Armin opened his eyes again he was no longer in the formless dimension of nothingness talking to dead Gods, he was on his side, still fully dressed (but missing his boots and cloak) and lying on a sleeping bag. His vision was filled with the off-white canvas of a weathered tent.

He wasn't quite sure where he was or even how he had gotten here, but something stopped him from panicking. He felt safe here, wherever here was, and simply waited for the fog in his mind to clear.

Two heartbeats later, the memories of the night before started to trickle back to him one at a time, like one of his old childhood picture books.

Bertholdt's face, red from the cold and drink, contorting in pain and fear before freezing stiff.

The tense, silent walk from the campsite, with Mikasa lugging the helpless shifter over her shoulder while he absentmindedly touched the metal case in his pocket with a shaking finger.

Finding an abandoned farm and a broken barn to shelter in.

And lastly the prick of a needle, a burning sensation spreading up his arm and a blinding flash of light.

'_Oh… the transfer.'_ Armin surprised himself at how remarkably calm he was at that realisation, seemingly indifferent to the fact he had done something that not even Ymir, the founder of the Eldian race and the primogenitor of the Nine Titans had done.

He had become the only person in history to hold one Titan, twice.

_'Heh. Grandpa did say I would make history some day.' _Armin smiled, remembering what the elderly man had said after discovering his grandson's dream of exploring the world. _'Though I doubt he meant something like this…'_

The memories of his Grandpa's kindly face was suddenly interrupted by someone pressing up against his back and snaking a pair of arms around his shirt covered chest.

Gasping in surprise, it only takes Armin a few moments to arrive at the brilliant realisation that someone was in his tent.

He very nearly gives in to the natural reaction of screaming bloody murder and violently flailing about after discovering that someone had entered his tent, lied down beside him while he slept and had started to spoon him just as he woke up. Fortunately, before he can give in to this response, a familiar voice breaks the silence of the tent.

"Relax. It's just me."

"M-Mikasa?" He chokes out the name, feeling relieved beyond all words that it was her, and not some random person as he had initially feared.

"Yeah. How are you feeling, Armin?"

Taking a few steadying breaths after his near heart attack, Armin answered to the best of his ability.

"I… I'm alright, I think. Less of a shock compared to last time." _'Less painful as well.' _He is tempted to add but wisely kept that particular tidbit to himself. "How long was I out?" He asked, noting how the sun is not shining through the tent wall, pointing to it still being nighttime.

Mikasa shrugged against his back, unintentionally drawing her encircling arms further up Armin's chest. "Not long, maybe an hour or two. We only got back to the campsite about 20 minutes ago."

'_Only two hours? That can't be right.' _The first time he had inherited the Colossal, it had put him out of commission for nearly half the day, waking up only a few hours before the sun was due to set. Admittedly, he had been teetering on the verge of death before eating Bertholdt, so it may have taken a bit longer to recover post-transfer, but still, two hours was much shorter than he had anticipated.

'_Maybe doing this before made it easier?' _Armin theorised, _'Since it wasn't the first time the process was less taxing on the mind and body.' _

"That's… good." Was his lame eventual conclusion, unsure of what to do with this newfound information.

Maybe one day he could tell Hanji about it and see what she thinks, but right now Armin had a second question he needed an answer to, a subject which he wasn't sure how to express politely or subtlety, so he took a leaf from Eren's book and just came out and said it.

"Mikasa… what are you doing?"

The answer he received was short and blunt, and so quintessentially 'Mikasa' in response that he had to actively fight against the amused snort which threatened to escape his nose.

"I'm holding you."

_'She's gonna make me work for the answer, isn't she?' _Sometimes Armin believed that Mikasa gave such answers to questions not because it was efficient or faster, but because she found people's bewildered reactions to her candid nature amusing. Armin suspected this was one of those times.

"I meant, what are you doing holding me in my tent?"

"_Your_ tent?" Mikasa's quiet voice took on an almost teasing note as she nudged his foot with her own. Looking down, Armin could just make out the faint outline of Mikasa's pack-bag leaning up against the tent's wall, flanked by two pairs of boots. _'Why did she bring her pack ba-' _

"Wait, I'm in your tent?! Why?" He stammered out, struggling to keep his voice down. Was it just his imagination, or did the tent suddenly get a lot warmer?

"Yes, it was the easier one to get to, and I didn't want you to wake up alone." Mikasa answered, smiling to herself at Armin's reaction. It was rare to see him so flustered nowadays, with his glowing red face, nervous fidgeting and stammering. The whole thing was oddly captivating, in a way she had never felt before.

'_Maybe he's reacting like that because you're cuddling him like a child would to their favourite fluffy toy?' _Her inner voice drawled, sounding richly amused.

Mikasa tried to deny this accusation with one of the hastiest and weakest excuses she had ever given anyone. And that included the infamous 'Sasha farted' incident with Shadis.

'_I'm not cuddling him! I'm… I'm just making sure he's alright, that's all.' _

If the voice had a face, it would have raised an incredulous eyebrow and smirked. _'Oh, so the fact that being the Colossal Titan increases a person's natural body temperature by a few degrees is completely unrelated to you trying to merge into his back, and is in fact, purely coincidental?' _

'_...'_

'_...'_

'_...yes.' _Mikasa lied, shamelessly.

Her inner voice didn't reply, only letting out an amused snort as it retreated back into her subconscious, leaving Mikasa with the bizarre sensation that she had just been outsmarted by herself. She didn't know if that was a good or bad thing.

Oblivious to Mikasa's defeat in her own internal debate, and just about over his stammering fit, the heavily blushing Armin managed to squeeze out a reply. "Oh... Thank you."

Waking up alone had been a staple in Armin's life for so many years, even during the times where he shared a dorm or a tent with someone, he had never experienced anything like this before, certainly not in his 'adult' life anyway. Perhaps his mother or father had once held him like this when he was a child, but if they had the memories had long since faded from his mind.

But if it always felt like this; warm, comforting and frankly _loving_, then Armin would happily give his right arm to never wake up alone again.

However, the feeling, as wonderful as it was, was bittersweet. Mikasa was here because she had been worried about him after the transfer, and she wanted to make sure he was okay. It was a kindness which to his immense guilt and shame, he hadn't afforded her.

After taking the Female Titan, he had carried Mikasa back to the camp, but then immediately fled the girl's barracks after placing her in bed, barely stopping to make sure she was alright.

'_Walls, I'm such a coward.' _

He shouldn't have left her to wake up alone, confused and maybe even frightened, just because he was embarrassed by the fact he had snuck into the girls' dorms in the dead of night.

"I'm sorry. I shoul-" Armin started to apologise but was swiftly cut short when Mikasa lightly dug a finger into his chest.

"Don't." She warned. Even when staring at the back of his head, Mikasa had known Armin long enough to see the signs he was feeling guilty about something, and it didn't take a genius like him to determine what it was about.

"I know you would have stayed if you could, but had you been found in our barracks, you would have been flogged or thrown out of the military entirely."

"That's not the point Mikasa, I should have done something instead of just leaving you there." Even with Mikasa's reassurance, Armin refused to let himself off the hook that easily. He was the one who had been through the transfer before, and he knew how unsettling it can be. _'I should have been there for her.'_

Pursing her lips together in frustration at her friend's stubbornness, Mikasa decided to implement her back-up plan to shake Armin out of his funk. Some people may decry it as brazen manipulation, but she had learnt from the best and had seen how effective it could be to get one's own way.

"Alright, alright, if you really want to make it up to me, then there is one thing you can do for me."

"I'll do it." Armin quickly agreed, eager to make amends by fulfilling her wish, whatever it may be.

Staring at the thick head of blond hair which tickled her nose, Mikasa raised an eyebrow at that, somewhat taken aback by how quickly Armin had agreed to do what she asked, without even hearing it out first.

'_Hmm, I wonder...'_

A few wildly inappropriate suggestions popped into her mind but were quickly stomped down by Mikasa, who also found the tent to be surprisingly hot even with Armin's higher body temperature.

'_Behave.' _She chided, realising she still hadn't told him what the condition was for her 'forgiveness' (which she had already given him).

"I want you to go back to sleep."

"Huh?" Armin answered, somewhat dumbly. He hadn't been expecting that.

"There's still an hour or two before sunrise, and we could both do with some sleep." As if to prove her point, Mikasa nestled her face into the back of Armin's neck, muffling a yawn. She had been awake for almost two days now, being unable to sleep after the disastrous expedition, and had been running on adrenaline and willpower alone.

She might be one of the strongest people to ever live, but even she had limits.

"We can't be ready for what's coming if we're both on the verge of passing out."

"Oh... yeah, that makes sense." Armin could see the logic in Mikasa's words and despite the sting of disappointment, he felt Armin started to push himself up and reach for his shoes. He barely made it an inch or two off the ground before the arms wrapped around his chest tightened and pulled him back down.

"What are you doing?" Mikasa asked, sounding confused and, to Armin's surprise, somewhat hurt.

"Errr… I was going back to my tent, so I won't disturb you." Armin replied somewhat hesitantly, unsure what he had done wrong. He didn't want to wake her if he started moving about in his sleep, so heading back to his tent would be the smartest thing to do… right?

Mikasa just rolled her eyes at the explanation, but smiled nonetheless, privately relieved that he wasn't leaving because she'd made him uncomfortable. _'Does he honestly think I would mind if he shuffled around a bit in his sleep?'_

Armin may be an absolute genius and masterful tactician, but he was also male, which meant he could be remarkably clueless sometimes.

"Don't be silly," she told him, as she reminisced on some of Sasha's late-night grumblings about clueless boys. "It's pitch black and freezing out there. Just close your eyes and sleep, I'll make sure we're up before the others."

Armin once again considered his options. Did he wander out into the cold, blindly stumbling around in the dark until he found his own tent? Or did he stay here, warm and cosy, with Mikasa?

It took less than a second for him to decide.

"Okay. Just for a few hours, then I really will need to go."

The noncommittal grunt he received was as close to an agreement as he was going to get so, still heavily blushing, Armin settled back down, taking a moment to shift his body weight around until he found a comfortable position. He didn't fail to notice how the arms remained tightly wrapped around his chest, even as his movements came to a halt.

A few minutes later, as his blush receded from bright red to a healthy pinkish hue, and his eyes started to droop, Armin felt something being placed over his shoulder which dropped down across his neck, touching the sleeping bag below. He didn't even need to open his eyes to know what it was, for there was only one thing Mikasa would drape over him like this.

Armin smiled as he tenderly clutched at the crimson scarf, running the soft fabric between his fingers. _'It smells like her.' _was his last thought before he slipped into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Sometime later

Jean Kirschtein had a problem. A terrible problem he could no longer ignore. A problem that has faced mankind since the dawn of time, yet never been solved by human minds.

Did he leave the warm confines of his bed to relieve the growing pressure in his bladder, or did he just ignore it and hope the pain would go away, so he didn't have to venture out into the cold?

It was indeed the second most significant problem the intrepid teenager had grappled with since waking up approximately five minutes ago.

Putting his mind to the problem Jean deliberated and pondered, planned and considered, bargained and schemed, yet the pressure continued to rise, and the pain grew alongside it. Eventually, the pain became too much for him to ignore, and with a heavy heart and a sigh Jean gingerly rose out of his sleeping bag, pulled on a pair of trousers and pushed open the flap of his tent, only to be rewarded with a faceful of the brisk morning air.

"Fuck," Jean grumbled as he clambered out and starting stomping over to a nearby tree. "Why is it so cold?" A small part of him wished he had grabbed a shirt before he had left his tent, but a larger part just wanted to get this partially undressed streak across the unstirring campsite over and done with. If he was quick enough then maybe, just maybe, he might be able to catch another half hour of sleep before Hanji woke them up for training.

The sun still had not risen over the top of the towering Wall Rose, but the orange glow of dawn's first painted across the clouds illuminated the camp just enough to allow Jean to reach a tree to relieve himself against, without tripping over or crashing into someone's tent.

A minute later, Jean was relacing his trousers and planning his route back to his tent when he heard a faint rustling noise. It was the first sign of human activity he had heard that morning, and his curiosity was immediately piqued as to who else was awake at such an ungodly hour. Stealthy craning his head around the tree, Jean noticed a tent which had been set slightly apart from the others was shifting about as someone moving around inside and pushed open the flap.

In an instant, the air was stolen from his lungs, as he saw who it was. Climbing out of the tent on all fours was the pride of the 104th and the girl of his dreams, Mikasa Ackerman.

Jean felt a brief pang of guilt as he silently watched her from afar, like some creep, but the teenage boy, who's mind and body was still firmly in the midst of puberty, found himself unable to look away.

Dressed in her usual sleeping wear which consisted of a plain short sleeve shirt and a well-worn pair of slacks, Mikasa was utterly unaware of the gaze that had fallen upon her. Still only partially awake Mikasa let out a long yawn as she stretched her toned arms around her back, letting out an unconscious moan as her back popped, instantly relieving the tension that built up overnight.

With a tiny sigh, Mikasa started rolling her shoulders but quickly stopped when the movement caused her shirt to ride up, exposing her stomach to the morning frowned down at the material, quickly tugging it down to cover herself.

There was an uncomfortable tightness in some regions of the material which hadn't been there a few weeks ago.

'_I'll need to get some new sleepwear soon. Growing up again is such a pain.'_

While Mikasa was lamenting the growth spurt she was experiencing and the effect it had on her clothing, Jean was currently praising every deity known to man for his luck. _'Thank you,'_ he prayed to the heavens, tears of joy dancing in his eyes. _'Thank you so much.'_

Jean had thought his heart was about to explode when Mikasa had let out that yawn and stretched her magnificently toned arms behind her back and unwittingly pushing out her chest towards him.

He was sure it had exploded when her shirt had ridden up, unveiling the pearly unblemished skin below.

Even with one of the worst cases of bed hair, Jean had ever seen (seriously, it looked like a bird had created a nest on top of her head), Mikasa had never looked more stunningly beautiful to the hormonal boy.

Suddenly, an idea struck him like a lightning bolt, causing his eyes to widen and pupils to dilate as he contemplated the sheer genius of it.

They were the only two up, and no one else was around, for the first time since joining the military Jean finally had the chance to go talk to her without being interrupted by Yeager or Armin. And he wasn't going to waste this chance.

His shirt, or lack thereof, wasn't an issue. In fact, the lack of coverage over his muscular chest was the cornerstone of his brilliant idea.

Psyching himself up to fulfil his grand plan, Jean mentally recited his opening line to Mikasa, wanting it to be the smoothest conversation he had ever had.

_'Oh hey Mikasa, I didn't know anyone else was up… My shirt? Well, I was doing my usual morning workout session of 100 push-ups, sit-ups and crunches and I didn't want to get it all dirty… Yeah, a 100 can be tough, but it keeps me in shape… No, I don't mind, go ahead, you can touch them if you want…'_

Then, after allowing Mikasa to feel up his well-formed chest and abs for a few minutes, which he just knew she would want to do, he would gently lead the conversation back to her, to find out more about the beautifully exotic girl.

He could finally find out what she liked and disliked and hopefully discover what her dreams and aspirations were. Maybe slip in a few well-deserved compliments here and there, and before long they would know each other so well, that Mikasa would fall head over heels for him.

It truly was a genius and totally flawless plan that only the mind of a teenage boy could devise.

Swallowing down his nerves, Jean was about to step out from behind the tree when his blissful fantasy about a private early morning bonding session with Mikasa came crashing down around him, as Mikasa's tent started to move again.

'_No…'_ Jean stood aghast, staring in absolute horror as the tent's flap was pushed open and another figure came crawling out. _'This has to be a bad dream... it has to be…'_

Crawling out of Mikasa's tent, with dark shadows under his eyes, but a small smile half-hidden under his messy blond hair, was Armin fucking Arlert, the 104th's resident genius and Mikasa's supposed 'childhood friend'. And if that wasn't bad enough, wrapped around his narrow shoulders was Mikasa's 'anyone found touching this will die a painful, bloody death' scarf.

'_This can't be happening, this CANNOT be happening!' _Jean silent screamed into the void as anger, heartbreak, shame and humiliation warred within him, freezing him in place and preventing him from looking away.

He watched the two 'friends' whispering something to each other that he had no chance of catching, with dead, soulless eyes. He couldn't believe it, he just couldn't. There was no way the world was _this_ cruel, right?

If fate was a person, they would have been rubbing their hands together with glee at hearing Jean's temptation of their fickle whims. Now the boy had really done it.

Reeling back their non-existent arm, fate answered Jean's cry with another emotional gut punch as Mikasa gently removed the scarf from Armin's shoulders, and wrapped it around her own neck with the most genuine smile Jean had ever seen from the usually stoic girl.

Fate then delivered their finishing move to Jean's battered ego as Mikasa pulled the blond into a tight hug.

That was the final straw for Jean, as the roiling whirlpool of emotions in his heart finally boiled over and forced him to tear his gaze away from the embracing pair.

"Fucking Yeager!" Jean hissed like an angry snake, punching the tree with all his might.

Quite why Eren received the blame for this was anyone's guess, as not even Jean himself could adequately explain it. It just felt right for him to curse Yeager for all the bad things that happened in his life, and this moment was definitely in his top ten worst moments.

He had been so focused on competing and fighting with Yeager, both over how annoying he was and the way the suicidal bastard treated Mikasa, that Jean had been completely blindsided by this development. Armin, someone he hadn't even considered to be a rival, even with the hushed rumours which had circled boot camp several months ago, had beaten him to Mikasa's heart.

As quickly as it arrived, the anger left him, leaving behind just a cold emptiness twinged with a flicker of pain. Staring at where his fist struck the tree, Jean only had one thought on his mind.

'_...My hand hurts.' _

Pulling his hand away, Jean cradled it against his chest, pitifully rubbing his thumb over the tiny grazes on his knuckles feeling like a complete jackass.

'_Punching trees... really? Only dumbasses like Yeager would do something that stupid. _Yet there he was, making a complete fool out of himself.

"I wish Marco was here." Jean mumbled, missing his freckled friend. He always knew just what to say, even if Jean pretended not to listen sometimes. _'Better yet, I wish I was with his group. Even with Ymir and Reiner probably at each other's throats, it couldn't be worse than this.'_

Apparently a bit of a glutton for punishment, Jean found himself peeking around the tree once more to see what the two 'friends' were doing. Fortunately, for the suffering scout, fate had found someone else to bully, and had separated the hugging pair, and had sent them on their separate ways. Armin was sheepishly walking back to his own tent, gingerly stepping over taut ropes and metal pegs as he rubbed his arms, trying to stave off the morning chill.

Mikasa had already made her way over to the long-dead campfire and sat cross-legged on the log, acting as if she had been there the whole time.

Had Jean been a lesser man, he might have considered reporting the two of them to Hanji, letting the slightly insane section commander know they had abandoned their posts just so they could go… _do things_ in a tent.

But despite what some people might think of him, Jean was a good man and regardless of how badly broken his heart was, he wouldn't snitch on fellow trainees to a superior just to get some petty revenge. He wouldn't even do that to Yeager, let alone to Armin or Mikasa.

With the dejected sigh of a defeated man, Jean's eyes snapped back to Armin's retreating form. _'Well played, Arlert. But I swear if you hurt her...' _He mentally trailed off, realising that if Armin did ever do something to hurt Mikasa, it would probably be the first and only time that he and Yeager would ever agree on something.

Jean shuddered. Now that was an uncomfortable thought.

* * *

6:47 am

5 hours before Armoured Titan sighting

Breakfast that morning had been a completely unremarkable experience, almost surreally so, knowing what was coming.

Most of the scouts had risen from their slumber and huddled around the fire, nibbling at their bread and chewing down bowls of oatmeal. Hanji was sipping at a cup of tea, claiming Captain Levi had gifted her the tea-leaves a few days ago, but the smirk on her face fooled nobody.

Armin and Mikasa sat together, listening half-heartedly to the drone of conversation as they ate, giving off the impression they were both still tired from being on watch. It must have worked for with the exception of a few 'Good mornings.' they had been left alone.

Mikasa did notice Jean glancing at the two of them a few times but would always look away when she caught his eye. There were also a few cuts on his hand that hadn't been there yesterday. _'Strange.'_

Softly nudging Armin with her shoulder, Mikasa inclined her head ever so slightly towards Jean, wondering if he had picked up on the odd behaviour. If he had, however, she wouldn't know, as his response was interrupted by the penny finally dropping.

"Hmm," Hanji hummed, peering over the lip of her cup at the amassed soldiers, counting how many there were. "We seem to be one short. Who's missing breakfast?"

Even though both of them had expected and planned for this, the question still made their hair stand on end and twisted their stomachs into knots.

This was it, they both knew, this was the deep breath before the plunge, the final moments of calm before the oncoming storm.

They both knew that Hanji was smart, very smart, and that she had been picked by Commander Erwin to succeed him for a reason. If she hadn't been already told outright by the Commander why they had been sent here, she would have figured it out on her own by now. Erwin was hunting for the shifters, and when she finds out one of her charges has suddenly disappeared, Hanji will make the obvious connection.

The shifter has fled.

It was the wrong conclusion of course, but the only one which would make sense to the section commander, with the limited information the scouts have available. But the result will be the same, she will know Bertholdt was a shifter and is now missing, so she would organise a search party to find him. And when they find no trace of him, they will dig into Bertholdt's 'history' and who he is close with, then all eyes will fall on Reiner.

Their window of opportunity to take the Armoured Titan may be measured in a matter of hours before the Corp gets too involved for them to act freely.

Keeping their eyes firmly locked to their meal, Armin and Mikasa both pretended they hadn't heard their old Commander speak. Unfortunately, the others around the campfire, eager to get in Hanji's good books knowing she could influence which squad they joined, had no inhibitions about answering her question.

"I haven't seen Bertholdt this morning, Miss Hanji." Sari Ikra, a short girl with chestnut brown hair answered, fiddling with a silver bracelet under Hanji's gaze. She was one of the 104th cadet corp who had joined the scouts in both her lifetimes, but, to Armin's great shame, he could barely remember the girl.

Mikasa had vaguely recalled her, muttering something about girls nights or something, and had informed him that Sari had survived Trost (where she lost all of her closest friends), and the 57th expedition (where she achieved an assist kill working alongside two other scouts) but had been killed during the impromptu-expedition to rescue Eren from Reiner and Bertholdt. And Armin had only found that out yesterday.

Six years. It had taken him six fucking years to realise someone he had trained with and fought alongside within the corp, had died.

How many others had a similar story to her? Died alone, friendless, ungrieved and forgotten? It made him feel sick.

'_She deserved better… they all did.' _

"Yeah, same." Robbert Jojin added, shooting Sari a cheeky grin before turning back to Hanji, "I didn't see him by the latrines either." His was a face both Armin and Mikasa had forgotten, even with his bright ginger hair pulled back into a small ponytail. They hoped he had just been one of the many cadets who had joined the garrison, but the grim face soldier within both of them suspected he had died in Trost.

"Really?" Hanji queried, putting her cup of steaming tea down beside her. "Well he was on watch last night, so he may have just overslept. Which one is his?". To anyone not familiar with Hanji, they would have missed the subtle changes in her demeanour as she looked over the assembled tents.

The cheeriness of her voice, which had been so genuine moments ago as she flaunted her 'borrowed' tea to everyone, was now strained and forced, which immediately put her own squad on edge.

Her dark brown eyes had turned cold and hard, another sign that the carefree eccentric scientist had just handed over the controls to the deadly serious, and sometimes vicious, section leader.

That was enough of a reaction to make Mikasa give up on pretending to eat and quietly discard the half-empty bowl. Copying the others in following Hanji's gaze, Mikasa rested her hands in her lap, feeling the shape of her concealed pen-knife press into them.

She didn't expect to need it right now, but it was nice to have it present, just in case.

"That one," Jean grunted out, pointing towards Bertholdt's tent. "He's probably doing his morning dance." There were a few wry chuckles from the male recruits who had seen the bizarre contortions Bertholdt managed to get himself into while sleeping. It didn't last long though as Hanji stood up without a word and stiffly walked towards the tent Jean had gestured to, leaving an awkward hushed silence behind.

Everyone watched as she moved over to the tent, noticing how her fingers would twitch every few steps. Most of the scouts from Squad Hanji had stood up as well, looking back and forth between their leader and the confused recruits, equally as baffled by their Commander's unusual reaction.

Hanji came to a stop in front of the tent and seemed to hesitate for a moment, taking a deep breath before crouching down and grabbing the seam of the closed flap.

'_This should be interesting...' _Putting her ability to understate the most serious of situations to good use, Mikasa coolly watched as Hanji yanked the tent flap open and revealed the unused and abandoned sleeping bag inside for all to see.


	24. A Soldier's Armour

**Sorry for the delay, been madly busy recently. Wanted to say a big thank you for all the people who have read, reviewed and favourited this fic. I'm sorry for not directly replying to your reviews but I don't really understand FFnet layout. But if you drop me a comment over on AO3, or PM me I'll happily answer any questions you may have!**

* * *

Scout Ranch

Several Hours before Armoured Titan sighting

On the other side of Hermina, dozens of miles away from a certain goggle-wearing Section commander who was in the midst of organising a desperate, yet unknowingly futile, search party, Historia Reiss was slowly returning to the waking world after a blissful night sleep.

Unlike her fellow time-travellers, Historia had not spent the night in a sleeping bag in a small tent. She had spent it in a room with four wooden walls and a solid roof, shielding her from the elements. Her room, like all the other rooms in this survey corp ranch, had two beds, each pressed against a wall.

But unlike all the other rooms in this ranch, only one bed in this room had been slept in.

Slowly cracking her eyes open, Historia smiled at the face resting only inches from her own. Pale pink lips, faint brown freckles dotted generously across both cheeks and dark grey eyes which others might have found intimidating, but not Historia who could easily get lost in those dark orbs for hours on end.

"Good morning," Historia whispered, smiling at the women she loved.

Ymir smiled back, leaning forward to plant a kiss against her girlfriend's lips. Historia happily melted into it, letting the sensation of Ymir's soft lips erase all the worries on her mind.

She didn't think about Reiner being just down the hallway, able to turn into a Titan at a moment's notice.

She didn't think about Armin and Mikasa and their plan to deal with Bertholdt.

She didn't think about Eren and the Commander heading to the capital for questioning.

The only thought in her mind was how she wished this could last forever.

Ymir was still smiling when she broke the kiss, her slightly swollen lips parting to speak. "It is now that you're awake, Krista."

And just like the moment was gone. The happiness, the warmth, the _love_, all of it turned to ash in her mouth.

Historia couldn't stop herself from flinching from hearing the fake name, breaking eye contact with Ymir and fixing her gaze at the wall behind the confused brunette.

"Krista, what's wrong?" Bringing a hand out from under the sheet, Ymir brought it to Historia's face and gently caressed her cheek.

Normally such a gesture would have turned Historia into a carefree putty, but now it only served as a reminder to just how much she hated that name.

'_I'm not Krista. Krista doesn't exist. Everything about her is a lie.'_

It made her so angry knowing that every time Ymir confessed her love or affection, it was to a made-up person and not to _her_. And worse of all, Historia knew she only had herself to blame. She had been the one to keep up this ridiculous act around Ymir all this time and why?

Because Armin and Mikasa didn't trust Ymir? Because they were worried that by just telling Ymir her real name it would somehow lead to all three of them being discovered?

'_They don't know her as I do. They only saw her mask, they never saw what lay beneath.'_

Yes, Historia understood why all three of them had to lie to others, and she knew it probably tore the pair of them apart lying to Eren, but at least they had each other for support. At least they didn't have to lie about their real name to the person they loved.

'_No... No more,'_ Historia decided firmly, _'I owe Ymir my name, and if they don't like it, then they can find someone else to help them.'_

With her mind made up, Historia took a steadying breath and looked back into Ymir's eyes.

"Ymir, there's something I want to tell you something I should have done months ago."

Reaching up, Historia rested her hand on top of Ymir's and pulled it between their prone forms. "Krista Lenz isn't my name. That was the name I was told to use before joining the military."

Ymir draws in a breath, staring intently at Historia as she bared one of her many secrets.

"My name… my real name… is Historia Reiss." Historia breathlessly confessed.

When the only reaction she received was a slow, methodical blink, Historia panicked and started to ramble. "I'm sorry. I should have told you a long time ago. I wanted to, but I couldn't. Reiss isn't a name that should be thrown around, it's dangerous, and if people found out, they could get hurt. I didn't want you to get-"

The slender finger pressed against her lips halts her frantic explanations.

"_Historia_, huh…" Ymir spoke the name as if trying it out to see how it sounded. Then she smiled. Not one of her silly half smirks or a cheesy grin, but a real genuine smile. The type of smile that was only reserved for her. "That's a good name."

"You're… you're not mad?"

"Never." Ymir shook her head, that beautiful smile still on her face. "I know we both have secrets, Historia, things we haven't told each other. But I'll never hold that against you because nothing will change the way I feel about you. And I hope that when I'm brave enough to tell you mine, you won't hold it against me either." She finished quietly, pulling the teary-eyed Historia into a hug.

"Thank you." Even when muffled, no one could have missed the tangible relief in Historia's voice. "And I won't. Ever."

They stayed like that for a while, in each other's arms. Birds chirped and sang outside their window, as Historia rested her head against her beloved's chest, listening to the steady beat of her heart, as the few happy tears that had escaped her now notably brighter blue eyes dried on her cheeks.

"So," Historia nearly jumped when Ymir cleared her throat, having been on the edge of drifting back to sleep in the comfortable embrace. "What should I call you when the others are about? You said you were worried about them knowing."

With a tiny frown, Historia lifted her head up and considered Ymir's question. She, of course, wanted all of her friends to know and use her actual name, but with her 'father' still around there was a genuine danger in telling them.

However, she thought, if everything went to plan, and Armin and Mikasa managed to take down Bertholdt, it's entirely possible that after dealing with Reiner, the three of them would finally reveal the whole truth to the corp and their friends, possibly even within the next few days.

She didn't know how she felt about that, but for now, with the most important person in her life already informed, she was willing to continue the Krista act for a little while longer.

"Stick with Krista for now, but when we're alone, please call me Historia."

With a low hum of assent, the smile on Ymir's face started to slowly turn into her signature smirk. "Well then Miss Reiss, now that's been settled, I reckon we've got some time to kill before big nose wants us up. Any ideas?" Ymir asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"You're incorrigible," Historia muttered as she rolled her eyes, a reaction which only fueled Ymir's smirk. "But," she spoke in a low voice, as her own playful grin started to form, "I can think of one or two things we could do to pass the time since you've been so… _accommodating._"

Poor Ymir never stood a chance against the enthusiastic blond, who with a surprising amount of strength, rolled Ymir onto her back. Straddling her belly, Historia grinned down at the wide-eyed Ymir, loving how her dark freckles contrasted against her bright red face.

"_Very accommodating." _she purred as both her hands started to wander.

Both of them were late to breakfast that morning.

* * *

Down the hallway, in another room, Reiner's eyes snapped open, and he stared straight up at the unfamiliar ceiling, gasping for breath. He had been having that damn dream again, the one which always left him shaken and confused.

Who was that boy by the campfire? Why did he look at him with those downcast eyes? And why did he seem so Wall's damn familiar?

Reiner was sure he had seen that boy before, but every time he tried to think where he had seen him, Reiner came up blank. A part of him believed that the boy was just a figment of his imagination, that his face was just an amalgamation of other people he had seen, mashed today by his brain for some unknown reason.

Yet the painful, throbbing headache he always suffered from after that dream told him something was amiss.

With a disgruntled sigh, Reiner rose from the bed, pulling the sheet from his bare chest and swinging his legs over the side, letting his feet touch the cold wooden floor as he rested his head in his hands.

'_Who are you? And why do I keep seeing you?' _Pressing his fingers into his scalp, Reiner considered the possibility he was going a bit stir crazy, and that this was some traumatic side effect of losing his village to the Titans, then joining the military and fighting Titans at such a young age.

A bitter chuckle left his lips. This was not the glorious start to his military service, he had hoped. First nearly dying in the fiasco that was Trost, then falling asleep on his first expedition and now suffering from recurring dreams about some random kid with swept-back hair and sad eyes.

Peaking between his fingers across the room, Reiner could see his roommate shifting about in bed, snoring and lazily pawing at his pillow as he slept.

Realising Connie wasn't going to be much of a conversationalist right now, Reiner turned to his tried and tested method of distracting himself from the dreams. Exercise.

Rising from the bed, Reiner dropped to the floor in a push-up position and started the first of many reps.

XXXX

When Connie wakes himself up with a particularly loud snore sometime later, the first thing he hears in the otherwise silent room is a low grunting sound, echoing off the walls. With a great degree of trepidation, Connie rubbed his sleep heavy eyes and rolled onto his side toward the source of the noise, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible.

When he sees it's just Reiner doing his morning exercises, instead of the other thing which usually resulted in strange noises this early in the morning, Connie let out an audible sigh of relief.

Early mornings had never quite been the same for Connie since he had shared that tent with Daz several months ago…

"Mornin'." Connie yawned, "What's the time? You been up long?" He queried, noticing the thin sheen of sweat coating Reiner's exposed back.

"It's early and maybe an hour?" Reiner answered with a shrug, finally stopping his exercise now that his arms were burning and felt like lead weights. "I lost track."

With a shake of his head, Connie just muttered, "You're crazy, man. I dunno why you do this to yourself." He felt tired just looking at Reiner working out this early in the morning. "Ain't the normal training bad enough?"

Pushing himself up, Reiner shot the buzzcut scout a toothy grin. "It takes a lot of work to look this good, Connie." To prove his point, Reiner flexed his arms, proudly brandishing his massive biceps to his roommate. "Damn good." He loudly whispered, giving his right bicep a quick kiss, loving how it felt rock hard beneath his lips.

"Yeah, whatever man, I still think you're insane." Connie grumbled, trying not to stare at Reiner who was now making his pecs jump up and down independently.

Usually, Connie was reasonably proud of his own well-shaped body, but looking at Reiner always made him feel wholly inadequate. The blond behemoth, the nickname he had granted Reiner when they first met, had a body which looked like it had been carved from stone.

'_Lucky bastard.' _He silently grumbled.

Grabbing an old t-shirt from his bed, Reiner dabbed away some of the sweat which had formed on his forehead. Glancing at the brooding Connie out the corner of his eye, an idea suddenly formed in Reiner's mind.

Calling over his shoulder, Reiner fought to keep his face and voice straight as he set his bait. "I think you should join me sometime, Connie."

"Why the hell would I do that? I barely get enough sleep as it is." Still dealing with the feeling of inadequacy that came from seeing a bare-chested Reiner, Connie haplessly walked into the trap.

"Well," Reiner drawled, a smirk breaking out on his face, "if you get a body like mine, then you might finally get Sasha to crave another kind of meat."

"WHAT?!" Connie half-shouted, half-choked as he shot up. "I… We… That's… It's not like that!" Connie tried to glare at Reiner, but his incandescent red face stole any heat the look may have had.

"We're just friends!" He insisted but struggled to set a convincing tone of voice, especially when the memory of the dream he had a few days ago forced its way to the forefront of his mind.

'_Could she really bend like that?'_

Reiner just laughed. "Ha! Oh sure you are, Sash and Connie, the totally platonic duo. Maybe next time we get leave the two of you could go on a 'just friends' double date with Armin and Mikasa."

"Fuck you, man." Connie growled, reaching for his pillow.

Dodging the hastily thrown cushion, Reiner ran to the door and duck out of the room while still laughing to avoid any further projectiles the blushing Connie might wish to hurl at him.

Wiping away a lone tear of mirth, Reiner strolled down the corridor toward the washroom with a smile, his morning dream long since forgotten.

* * *

Six scouts sat around a table, three boys facing three girls, all looking at one another with suspicious eyes and bated breath. Any outsider who may have strode across such a sight may have assumed this was a battle between the sexes, but such a notion is folly, for there could only be one winner from this battle.

Every one of them knew the stakes at play. Each of them _knew_ that one wrong move, one miscalculation or a slip of the tongue, and it would be all over for them.

As the minutes ticked by, the tension between the six combatants continued to grow as the conflict heated up, with each attack being met with a swift reprisal strike.

All of the parties had taken hits in this engagement. Some had suffered only grazing shots, reminding them not to get cocky. Others had taken crippling blows and were left dangling on the ropes for all to see.

The tension had become some great, it had become almost palpable, like some oppressive bubble wrapping around them, cutting off the rest of the world.

"Sasha," One of the boys finally spoke, drawing steely gazes from his five opponents. He did not waver under the combined scrutiny, having grown used to such displays after years of experience. He kept his voice calm and collected as he stared at his selected foe.

The brief flicker of dread in her eyes told him everything he needed to know. Sasha knew she was finished, and now victory was finally within his grasp. The boy smiled, content in the knowledge of his impending triumph.

"Do you have any sevens?"

"Shit!" Sasha growled in frustration, moodily tossing two playing cards over the table at the smiling Marco. "Can't we play somethin' else? I hate this game."

"Stop whining Potato girl. Ain't much else to do to pass the time." Ymir held her cards close to her chest, shooting Sasha a sideways glance. "Oh, and your accent is slipping again, Miss country bumpkin."

"Wha'?! I mean, what?! I'm not- I don't-" Sasha stammered, trying to collect herself as she forced her fake city accent back into place.

Having got her moment of amusement from Sasha's reaction, and after receiving a small nudge for Historia in the ribs, Ymir turned her gaze back to the cards. She didn't care about the game all that much, but it was one of the few things they could do while the veteran scouts were out preparing whatever activities they had planned for them.

As Ymir deliberated on her new move, looking over the other players with a critical eye, she couldn't help but notice how Reiner's eyes briefly flickered toward Historia and stayed there for half a heartbeat longer than necessary. Then again, Ymir considered any length of time that moron looked at **her **girlfriend to be unnecessary. Worse still was the fact she had already caught him doing it twice before.

Growing tired of his perving, Ymir called his name. "Braun," she said, drawing his gaze with a tone of voice so sickly sweet that the others had to do a quick double-take to make sure it was, in fact, Ymir who had spoken at all. "See something you like?"

That seemed to take the broad-chested boy by surprise, and he stared at Ymir for a few seconds like she was crazy. Eventually, Reiner must have realised he had been caught stealing a look at Historia, and now Ymir was calling him out in her own bizarre way.

"Not anymore." He grumbled, pointedly staring at his rival's freckled face.

"Shame," Ymir fired back. "if only I was a lanky loner with a sweating problem. You'd be all over that."

Bringing up and insulting Bertholdt was always a quick and easy way to upset the blond, cutting through his macho man act like a hot knife through butter. Reiner's eyes narrowed in anger, and she repaid the favour, narrowing her own in a challenge, daring him to do or say something about it.

Connie and Sasha sighed wearily at the 'argument' between their feuding comrades. At best it would end in a deafening silence between the two which would hang over the group for hours, and at worst it would turn into another shouting match which would leave their ears ringing.

"Aren't you gonna say something, Krista?" Sasha whispered to the girl sitting beside her. She thought it was strange how Krista hadn't already stepped in like usual, but then again the pint-sized scout had been quiet ever since the boys had joined them during breakfast. Krista mumbled something under her breath and went back to focusing on her cards with an intensity Sasha had rarely seen.

'_Maybe she's got a really good hand.'_

Before any more could be said, and before the tense staring match between Ymir and Reiner could escalate, Macro pointed at something out the window.

"Hey guys, you seeing this? I think something is going on outside." All five of them followed his finger, peering through the window at what was happening. The dozen other recruits occupying the other tables also turned to look, with some standing up and shuffling over to the windows to get a closer look.

"What's going on?" One called.

"Who are they?" Another joined in.

"Look at the badges. It's the MPs." The mention of the premier division triggered a buzz of conversation to shoot through the room.

"MPs? Why are they here?" Connie wondered aloud, giving words to what everyone else was thinking.

Reiner, who had broken away from his staring match with Ymir and her creepy grey eyes, put a hand on Connie's buzz-cut head and pushed him down to get a better view. He could see a group of seven MPs conversing with Squad leader Mike about something, while another five MP hung back, standing guard over the horses and wagon they had all arrived on.

All of them were armed, rifles slung over shoulders, or held lazily in their hands. It shouldn't have bothered him, the rifles were standard issue equipment for the MPs, but for some reason the sight of it made his mouth go dry.

_'Twelve MPs… What the hell? They normally work in pairs or small groups, so why are there so many? What's happened?'_

He couldn't hear what was being said between the MPs and the Scouts, but he could see in their body language that this conversation was anything but civil. The MPs did not look happy and kept jabbing their fingers in the direction of the ranch, only to be answered by Mike pointing them straight back to their horses.

"I dunno man, but they look pissed off." Reiner confessed as Connie struggled to shake off his hand.

"Should we go outside?" Marco asked with a tiny quiver in his voice, having watched the tense confrontation and counted the number of MPs (and rifles) outside.

"I-"

Before he could finish Reiner was cut off by a mix of shocked and horrified gasps from the amassed recruits as without warning one of the MPs lifted up his rifle and smashed the butt of it across Mike's face, knocking the squad leader to the ground with a bloody and likely broken nose.

In an instant, the other MPs launched themselves at the five still standing members of Squad Mike. Thomas, Lynee and Henning were taken entirely by surprise and were taken down without much of a struggle.

Gelgar put up more of a fight, wildly lashing out with his fists with a feral scream of outrage, catching one female MP right in the throat. The blow brought the woman down, choking and gasping for air.

Unfortunately for the booze-loving scout, the other MPs didn't take too kindly to seeing one of their own down her knees and turned their ire against him with a vengeance. With a combination of a punch to the stomach and a rifle stock to his leg, Gelgar was brought low and kept there but two MPs who rained down kicks upon his fallen form.

The last scout standing, Namaba, roared in anger at what the MP had done to her friends and tackled one of the kicking soldiers to the ground and wrapped her hands tightly around his throat, intended to choke the life out of him in pure unadulterated fury. Her furious wrath was cut short, however, when another rifle-butt came crashing into her temple, sending her unconscious and twitching body into the dirt.

The fight lasted less than 30 seconds, and left all six veteran scouts on the floor, unconscious, injured or held hostage at gunpoint with only two MPs being either lightly injured or merely shaken up in return.

"...fuck." One of the recruits whimpered, shattered the stillness that had fallen over them as they watched the one-sided beatdown.

Disbelief turned into fear, and fear turned into panic as three of the seven MPs stepped over the fallen scouts and strode toward the ranch with marked indifference. The recruits still staring out the windows quickly backed away, stumbling over each other in their haste to not be spotted by the seemingly rogue MPs.

But there was one person who was panicking more than all the others combined. Cold sweat dripped down her back as her shaking hands curled into fists. Historia knew precisely what was happening even before the MPs attacked Captain Mike and his squad.

'_No, no, no! This can't be happening, why are they here?! Is HE here?' _Historia breathing had become shallow and erratic, as her heart pounded against her chest. If Kenny was here, they were in serious trouble, but if he wasn't, then that could only mean one thing.

Kenny would be going after…

'_Shit, Eren!'_

It was too soon, far too soon. Eren hadn't used the founding Titan yet, so why were the MPs coming after her now of all times? Unless… unless they had changed something which forced their hand.

_"We got the spinal fluid from your father. Before you returned, we made our way to the Reiss church up north, hoping he stored the injections somewhere within the crystal caves. But when we arrived, he was there." Armin had told her a few weeks after her return when she had asked how they had already taken the Female Titan._

"_We… interrogated him until he told us where to find them." He finished, glancing at Mikasa before turning back to her. Perhaps he was worried about her reaction to what they had done to Rod._

"_Is he alive?" She asked, setting her jaw._

_He nodded, and her unspoken 'why' hung in the air between them._

_Armin rolled his shoulder, working out the knots that had formed during the day's training. "Even without the founding Titan, he's still the leader of the shadow government. Killing him would have destabilised the government far too early for us to take advantage of, and with him dead, you would be the sole survivor of the Reiss bloodline." He gave her an apologetic look as he brought up that sensitive topic. "There was a possibility the government may have tried to take you, either to make you their puppet or…" he trailed off with a grimace._

_Mikasa made a noise which could only be considered a disgusted growl._

_She ignored it, contemplating what she had been told. Historia was quiet for a few moments, then sighed. "You should have killed him."_

She had meant it then, and that conviction had only hardened in time. Leaving Rod alive was a mistake, regardless of what the rest of the Government might have done.

Rod might have been a coward, and a petty excuse for a man, but he was like a virus. If he wasn't destroyed entirely, he would just keep coming back worse than ever.

And that's precisely what he had done. Having probably been in hiding since Armin and Mikasa interrogated him, brooding on his own mortality and fragility, Rod had decided to make his move early.

The approaching MPs came to a halt halfway to the building, with the man in the middle taking a single step forward, quickly highlighting him as the leader.

"Attention scouts," He shouted up to the ranch, "We are here from one person, and one person only. If you hand Historia Reiss over to us, there will be no further need for violence!"

While most of the 104th looked around at each other, fear and confusion etched on their faces as they repeated the name, Ymir's posture stiffened, and Historia could see the muscles in her neck straining to stop her head from swivelling round to face her.

"Or perhaps she still goes by her fake name, lying to you all through her teeth! If you come out now, no one else has to be hurt! Your choice, Krista Lenz!"

As one, the 104th recruits silently turned to face her, some with a new emotion plastered on their face. Betrayal.

Her hands flexed by her sides.

"K-Krista?" Macro whispered, his already pale face turning chalk white.

Unsure what to say, Historia just gave a tiny nod, confirming what the MP had said.

Someone took a step towards her, but Ymir moved faster. In one smooth movement, Ymir drew herself to her full height and pushed Historia behind her, standing in front of the rest of the 104th like an impassable organic wall.

"Don't. You. Dare." The quiet growl that escaped her lips stopped the approaching recruit dead. He looked back and forth between Ymir and the window, outside which the MPs were waiting, with a pained expression on his face.

"They only want her." He gestured at the window, getting several nods and mumbled agreements in response. "And she must have done something bad if the MPs want her."

"Fuck that!" Connie spat out, stepping over to stand beside Ymir. "You saw what the MPs did to Captain Mike. What do ya' think they'll do to Krista?!"

"Yeah, I did. And what do you think they'll do to us if we don't hand her over?!" The frightened boy snapped back, to the baying approval of others.

With that, the die was cast, and two factions began to coalesce around the fearful boy and the stony face Ymir. The former made up of those who wanted to give the MPs what they asked for, and the latter who were disgusted at the very notion.

Arguments started, shoving took place, and a punch was almost thrown, all while the MPs still stood outside, silently waiting.

Reiner could see the situation deteriorating before his very eyes, and knew that if this continued, they'd end up beating the crap out of each other, only to have the MPs stride in and take Krista anyway.

So with no one else willing or able to take control, Reiner fell back on the old military adage which had been drilled into them during training. In the absence of a superior officer or standing orders, leadership authority is to fall back onto the most capable soldier present. And, with all veterans out for the count, and Armin & Mikasa not here, Reiner, with his 3rd place graduate position, was the most capable soldier present.

_'Come on, Reiner. Time to prove you're worth your place, and if this doesn't get me placed in a good squad, nothing will. Maybe the special Ops squad with Eren. That'd be sweet.'_

Summoning his courage and banishing away the nerves over what he was about to do, Reiner slammed his fist onto the table as loudly as he could and bellowed out loud enough to shake the window planes. **"QUIET!"**

The room stilled as panicked shouting was silenced by his booming voice.

Being the biggest guy in the room always helped when it came to getting people to listen to you.

"Alright, listen up. I don't know why the MPs want Krista, but they can go hang. We are not abandoning one of our own." He cooly surveyed the room, making sure everyone was listening to him. "If I hear one more suggestion of handing her over, you'll be the one who gets thrown out with broken legs, understand? Good. Now, this is what we're going to do."

"Ymir, Sash, take Krista to one of the back rooms overlooking the woods. When you get the chance I want you to slip out the window and make a run for it, get as far away from here as you can. Connie, Marco, go check the storage room, see if there's anything in there we could use to defend ourselves. The rest of you, push the tables up and use them to block the windows, then take cover. Let them come to us."

Reiner looked out the window and saw the MPs still standing there, idly waiting for Krista to come out. He knew they wouldn't be long before they got bored of waiting and decided to enter the ranch and drag Krista out themselves, regardless of the casualties they had to inflict on the unprepared scouts.

They needed more time, and Reiner knew just how to get it.

"I'm going out there to see what this mess is all about, which will buy us some time. Once I've left, barricade the door and don't let anyone but me back in. Marco will be in charge while I'm out." He looked back at his silent comrades, all standing about with mouths agape. "NOW!" he snapped at them.

At this point, their conditioning as soldiers kicked in, and a frenzy of activity erupted. While many of them may not have agreed or liked the orders, they were privately glad someone had stepped up and taken charge of the situation. Soon the room was filled with the creaking wood and groaning troops as chairs and tables were lifted up and manoeuvred into their designated place.

Reiner almost smiled at the sight of impromptu squads starting to form to fulfil his commands. Just like they had been trained to.

Shadis would be proud.

'_Hell if this goes well I might even get my own squad after this. Squad Braun. That has a nice ring to it.'_

Historia just stared at Reiner's back, totally bewildered by his actions. When he sat at their table, and his wandering eye landed on her, it had made her skin crawl, but now as she watched him take command to protect her from her father's schemes, she didn't know what to think.

She didn't understand why he was doing this. Reiner's whole purpose for being on their island was to wipe them out, so why was he trying to help her? Was this just part of his act, further embedding himself in the corps circle of trust, or was this part of his illness, the one that made him think he was one of them?

"Reiner," she called, blurting out the name of the boy who had killed thousands. _"Why?"_ she wanted to ask but found that he had already walked toward the door.

* * *

Stepping through the door, into the fresh late morning air, Reiner walked down the path towards the MPs and came to a stop blocking their possible route to the ranch.

If they tried to push past him, he reckoned he could overpower one of them, maybe two if he was really lucky, but either way, Reiner swore he wouldn't go down easy.

"Where's Reiss?" The leader of the MPs demanded to know. He was a tall, ugly man, with watery blue eyes unevenly set in his wrinkled face. A large scar ran over his pale lips, and when he opened his mouth to speak, it revealed a set of yellowed, crooked teeth, a few of which had rotted away entirely.

Suppressing a shiver, Reiner ignored the question and fired back one of his own. "Attacking a soldier during a time of war is treason. I demand to know who you are, and why you attacked the scouts?"

The man sneered and spat on the ground. "I don't answer to you, boy. Now tell me where she is, or you'll end up like them." He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder at the incapacitated squad Mike.

Reiner kept his face as straight as possible as he glanced over at the older scouts. The few who were still conscious had been forced onto their knees and had a rifle barrel jabbed between their shoulder blades, the implication clear. One wrong move and the MPs would kill them.

Before he turned back to the MPs facing him, Reiner managed to catch the eye of Captain Mike, whose famous nose had been smashed across his face and was covered in blood.

The Captain stared at him for a moment, his expression grim and pained, before inclining his head a fraction of an inch. Whether it was a sign of respect or simple acknowledgement for what he was doing, Reiner did not know. It was just as likely the man slipping in and out of consciousness, and the movement of his head had been nothing more than a man about to pass out.

But the movement gave Reiner the courage he needed to stand firm in front of these cowardly MPs who had so shamelessly attacked his unarmed and unprepared superiors.

"Let them go first, then we can talk." He spoke loudly, hoping his voice would carry all the way to the veterans.

The scarred leader just scoffed at his demand, and with a simple hand gesture, the veteran scouts he had insisted on being freed were kicked to the ground and had the gun barrels pushed even harder into their backs.

"That ain't a negotiation, kid. You have nothing, and the only reason I'm letting you talk at all is because I don't want to waste a bullet. Now, bring me Reiss, and we'll be on our way."

Reiner contemplated his options. If all was going well, Krista would be sneaking out the back of the ranch as they speak, and would hopefully be sprinting toward the forest. He needed to buy just a few more minutes to make sure she was safe, but if he kept trying to delay them, the MPs might shoot the scouts to prove a point.

'_Right, plan B then. Distract them.'_

"We don't know where she is," Reiner blurted out, trying to sound as sheepish as possible as he brought a hand up to rub the back of his neck. "We looked for her when you called, but we couldn't fin-"

"Alright, you got me. Here I am." A loud female voice called out from behind him, stepping through the ranch's hastily unbarricaded front door. For a brief moment, Reiner is paralysed in fear, terrified that Krista had wholly ignored the plan and was handing herself over without a fight. Spinning on the balls of his feet, a bellowing shout already on his lips for her to go back inside, Reiner was instead met with a smirking Ymir calmly striding down the path toward him.

'_What the hell are you doing?! Why aren't you with Krista?!' _His face screamed as Ymir came to a stop beside him.

Ymir spared him a disparaging look, wordlessly telling him to shut up before turning to face the MPs and offering up a lazy salute. "Historia Reiss, reporting for duty."

The MP growled, baring his nasty teeth. "Are you trying to take me for a fool, girl? You are not Reiss."

"Is it the height?" Ymir quipped, "I had a growth spurt recently. Shot up like a tree."

Reiner wanted to scream. He knew Ymir was brash and callous, but he never thought she was this reckless. They were facing off against a bunch of armed and angry MPs who had already shown their willingness to resort to violence, and here she was making jokes.

"You are trying my patience, you little brat. I know what Reiss looks like, she had blond hair, blue eyes and would barely reach your shoulders." The MP cocked his head at Reiner, looking distinctly unimpressed at Ymir's stunt. "He would have been a more convincing double, if just for the hair colour."

Ymir hummed loudly and tapped a finger against her chin, as if deep in thought. "Short, blond hair, blues eyes… Ah-ha!" she clicked her fingers as if coming to some great realisation. "You must be looking for Arlert. He's a guy by the way, but I can understand the confusion, he's not exactly the manliest guy around. Anyway, he's in the other group, so you've wasted your time coming here, but if you hurry along you might just catch him."

She pointed to the east in the rough direction of the other recruits. "Just be careful of Ackerman though. She doesn't like it when people touch her things."

A brief flicker of something passes across the MPs' faces, with one of them taking a small step back as if to steady herself at Ymir's warning. If Reiner didn't know better, he would say it looked an awful lot like fear.

'_I'm not surprised if they're scared of Mikasa. If she can carve apart forty Titans in a single battle, she could probably turn these MPs into tiny meaty chunks without breaking a sweat.'_

"Boss, maybe we sho-" one the underlings murmured, a small bead of sweat forming on his brow.

"Quiet!" The man snaps at him before shooting Ymir a glare which could melt steel. "Where did you hear that name?"

Sensing an opening Ymir figuratively pounced on the agitated MPs. "Ackerman? Well scarfy and I are good friends, lotta shared interests and all that."

Despite the increasingly tense situation they were in, Reiner almost snorted in amusement. Of all the things Ymir had said in the last few minutes, her claiming to be good friends with Mikasa was probably the most barefaced lie he had ever heard.

The MPs however, had no idea about the true extent of Ymir and Mikasa's 'relationship' and frankly did not care. All they focused on was the name, and that was more than enough to unnerve them. Having to deal with an Ackerman as a Captain was bad enough, so the possibility of having to face another was not appealing in the slightest.

"Enough of this." The MP barked, the fear he had of the Ackerman currently setting up an ambush in Hermina was far greater than this rumoured Ackerman in the east. "We have no interest in your 'friends'. We have been keeping an eye on Reiss for years, and we know she is here, so stand aside, before I get really pissed off."

"No." Ymir shook her head.

"No?"

"I won't let you touch her."

"Oh? And how the fuck are you going to stop me?"

"Well, I've got this," Ymir answered with a shrug, pulling a slim blade from her back pocket and idly tapping it against her palm. Reiner felt a weird tug behind his eyes at the sight of the blade, further playing on his frayed nerves. Why did Ymir have a knife, and what the hell was she doing showing at the gun-wielding MPs?

"_What are you doing?!" _He hissed at her, trying to keep his fears in check. _"You're gonna get us killed!"_

Ymir ignored his fearful hissing and stood firm as the MPs broke into mocking laughter at the weapon she had brandished at them.

"Walls alive, are you touched in the head or something?" The MP sneered, patting his hand against his rifle. "We have guns you silly bint, so what the hell are you gonna do with that little thing?"

If Ymir was bothered by the scornful dismissal, she didn't show it. Instead, she loudly sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you do have guns, but they won't help you." She answered with a shrug, "Now unless you get back on your horses and fuck off back to where you came from, I'm going to use this 'little thing' to kill all twelve of you."

In an instant, the tense atmosphere that had enveloped the stalemate turned from chilly to downright frozen, as the threat hung in the air. Any inclination of even mocking humour from the MPs vanished entirely, replaced with furious glares and stony silence.

Reiner sucked in a breath. Now Ymir had really done it.

Without a word, the lead MP raised his rifle and pointed it straight at Ymir, who still didn't move. "Move aside." He commanded, "And maybe Reiss won't have to step over your corpse when I drag her out here."

"No." Ymir said once more, her voice disturbingly even. She had stopped tapping the knife against her hand and how simply rested the blade edge down against her palm.

"You know, I was hoping you might say that." The MP said a twisted smile and pulled the trigger.

* * *

In one of the back rooms of the ranch, Sasha was desperately clinging to the struggling Historia trying to prevent the shorter girl from rushing to the front door.

"Krista! Stop it. She'll be fine, but we've gotta go." She pleaded for the umpteenth time.

"Get off me, Sasha!" Historia shouted back, wildly lashing out with her fists. She knew what Ymir was planning, and what would happen if she did it in front of Reiner. "She's going to do something stupid! I need to get her away from them. From _him_."

Catching one of the surprisingly powerful blows to the stomach, Sasha's grip faltered, allowing Historia to break free and bolt for the door. Throwing open the wooden door she collided headfirst into Connie, knocking the pair of them to the ground in a tangled pile of limbs.

Connie, who had only come to give Sasha a bow and quiver of arrows he had found in the storage room for protection, was utterly unprepared for the blond stampede and crumpled to the floor with a cry of pain as Historia's knee landed between his legs.

Historia tried to roll out of the pile but found her right leg was caught in between Connie's and her left arm pinned beneath his back. The precious few seconds it took for her to free her limbs was enough for Sasha to recover from the punch and come barrelling out of the room and leap on top of the pile, grabbing hold of Historia with renewed strength and determination.

"HEY! Stop it! I don't want to hurt you, Krista!" Sasha yelled, her voice a mix of anger, pain and more than a twinge of fear.

"GET OFF!" The muffled shout against Connie's shirt was the girl's reply.

Had this happened at another time, Connie was sure he would be greatly enjoying the sensation of having Krista pinned against his chest with Sasha straddling her back. Still, right now, with the immense pain from Historia's misplaced knee and fear in his heart and mind from what was happening outside, he just wanted to know what the hell was going on.

"Hey!" he grunted through gritted teeth, struggling to breathe with the combined weight of two people laying on his chest. "What the hell is going on?!"

_**BANG**_

Before any more shouts or grunts could rise from the wriggling mass of limbs, an ear-splitting bang reverberated through the thin glass windows of the ranch. In the eerie stillness that followed the gunshot, Historia managed to lift her head up from Connie's chest, revealing her blue eyes which burnt with unshed tears.

'_Don't do it. Don't do it. Don't do it.' _She repeated the silent prayer again and again, as the seconds ticked by with agonising slowness. _'Just run. Don't be the hero. Be selfish and run.'_

_**CRACK**_

With a mighty crack, the sky was split asunder. A brilliant bolt of orange lightning shot down from the heavens and smashed into the ground, shaking the ranch to its foundations. Historia could hear the terrified screams coming from the recruits in the other room, and finally, the tears started to fall.

"_Please… not again."_ she whimpered, not caring if Connie or Sasha heard.

* * *

Time seemed to slow to a crawl. Birds hung in the air, their wings barely moving in the frozen wind. The MP's finger tightened around the trigger. And the muscles in Ymir's arm squeezed, pressing the knife edge down.

Without thought or reasoning, Reiner simply reacted. Pushing himself forward with a swiftness he didn't think possible, Reiner managed to reach his target in less than a heartbeat, and shoved them aside hard as he could.

A shot rang out, but the sound was muted and quiet. Even the bullet seemed to move slowly, the tiny lead ball forced out of the recoiling rifle barrel with a cloud of ignited gunpowder.

Reiner couldn't avoid the bullet, but he had made sure Ymir had.

The ball struck him like a fist, relentlessly tearing its way through his body. He could feel a rib shattering as the bullet smashed through it, before piercing his right lung, driving the air from his body. But his organs and bones hadn't slowed the bullet's passage enough to prevent the round from driving onwards, but it had managed to splinter the round into several white-hot shards, which cruelly tore out his back as they passed through it.

Reiner was driven back by the blow, a bloody hole passing straight through his chest. He wavered on his feet, and for a moment it looked like he would remain standing, but not even one the strongest of the 104th could stand up long after that.

Like a tree cut at its base, Reiner started to fall.

Yet, strangely, even as his insides were shredded and he was lifted off his feet, Reiner didn't feel any pain. In fact, he didn't feel much of anything at all.

'_Is this it? Is this how I die? Saving Ymir from a bunch of mad MPs?'_

Out the corner of his eye, he could see her, awkwardly splayed out on the floor from his shove. Shock evident on her frozen face as she looked back at him.

He could see that the knife she had been holding was laying on the ground some distance behind her, just out of reach.

'_Honestly, what was she thinking? Threatening to fight the MPs with a knife.'_

As he continued to fall backwards, Reiner found his hyperactive mind focusing on his friends; Connie, Sasha, Jean, Macro, Eren, Bertholdt. He saw their faces flash before his eyes, memories of all the times they had smiled and laughed together, all the moments of friendship they had shared over the years.

Even as he relived some of his most precious memories, Reiner found it just made him feel empty inside, completely lacking the comfort he hoped it might bring to him in his last moments. He would never get to see any of them again.

'_This isn't how I thought I would go out…' _

He always hoped he would live a long life, happily married to Krista and peacefully passing away in his sleep at a ripe old age surrounded by friends and family. Hell, he would have accepted dying in some heroic final battle, where he gave his life for humanity and his comrades in arms.

But as he fell with a bloody hole torn through his body, those dreams of a happy or heroic end felt just that._ Dreams_. He didn't feel the jubilation of a life well-lived, or the satisfaction of a final victory, even if he did save Ymir's life. Reiner just felt cold, empty and most importantly, alone.

'_I- I don't want to go like this.'_

Had he made a difference? Would his death allow Krista to escape, or had he just thrown it away for nothing?

Would the rogue MPs who had no hesitation in shooting unarmed teenagers be suddenly moved to tears by his sacrifice and agree to leave the others alone?

Of course not. They would probably step over him before his body even got cold.

Reiner felt himself finally slamming into the ground, the impact driving out the air he still had in his single working lung. Blood started to fill his mouth as he stared up at the cloudless blue sky.

He must have bitten his tongue during the landing, and from the amount of blood now spilling from the edge of his lips he must have nearly bitten the thing in two, yet Reiner still couldn't feel a thing.

'_I-I don't want to die.' _The soldier whimpered, feeling the icy hand of death starting to fold around him. His two possible causes of death: blood loss or suffocation via his own blood were seemingly locked in a morbid race to reap his soul.

'_I don't want to die.' _He repeated desperately as darkness began to encroach upon his vision, turning the blue sky into a fuzzy grey malaise.

He was so cold now like the ground had just sucked any remaining heat from his body.

'_Please… I don't want to die.' _The soldier begged, as his heart gave its last few faltering beats.

'_I want to…'_

"_Live." _The single choking word that escaped his blood-stained lips was so soft that it was barely a whisper, yet it seemed to echo for an eternity.

The whole world seemed to go quiet as if Mother Nature herself was holding her breath at the long rattling exhale which followed this dying wish.

* * *

In another dimension, a little girl sat lifelessly in the endless expanse of sand, staring with unblinking empty eyes at the ground. In front of her stood the sole mark on this otherwise featureless place, a giant pillar of purest cobalt which climbed infinitely high above her downcast head until its nine branches became one with the glittering stars above.

Time and space had no meaning in this place, so the girl sat there, alone and silent, sometimes for days, sometimes for centuries. Both could pass in the blink of an eye.

From nowhere, a disembodied voice drifted through the empty realm, shattering the silence.

"_I want to __**live**__." _It echoed, crawling over the sand toward the girl like a vicious desert viper hunting its next meal.

The little girl slowly looked up at the pillar, feeling the familiar tug on her fractured soul.

It was a selfish plea. A desperate desire of a dying boy, not wanting to go quietly into that good night. It was an objective, a wish, a _goal_.

For what could have been the first time in aeons, the little girl started to move. Rising from the ground with unnatural grace, the girl turned and lifted up the closet thing she had to a companion in this dead world, and held it tight.

Ever silent, the girl and her bucket moved away from the now pulsing pillar to find a suitable place to build.

One of the nine had called to her, and she must obey.

* * *

Whenever Ymir recalled _that_ day, and those few immortalised seconds when everything changed, the memories always came to her like some strange out of body experience, as if it had happened to some other Ymir and she had just 'borrowed' those memories.

She could remember it all in perfect gut-churning clarity, yet it never felt any less surreal.

Ymir could remember the sensation of the morning air lightly blowing through her hair as she stared at the MPs, nearly shivering at the cold kiss of steel against her palm. Her blade was primed and ready to go, with a quick tug of her hand would split the smooth unmarked skin beneath it apart and awaken the beast within her.

She had been so close to revealing her greatest secret then and there in order to protect the woman she loved. At the time she didn't know the MPs true intentions, only that they were a threat to Historia. That was enough for her.

But if she had known the truth about why they were there, and what they wanted Historia to do, she would have transformed the second she left the confines of the ranch, rather than trying to trick and intimate them into going first.

But as the MP's finger tightened around the trigger, and the edge of her blade started to split the surface of her palm she was suddenly knocked aside by a solid mass of blond hair and muscles which was moving faster than it had any right to be.

Reiner, that insane, stupid, fool of a boy had shoved her aside, taking the bullet meant for her.

She had watched wide-eyed in horror as his large body toppled back, blood spurting out his chest, turning his white shirt dark crimson. It seemed to take an age for his body to hit the ground, but when it did, the hard meaty thump was enough to shake Ymir out of her trance-like state. Scrambling like a wild animal, Ymir threw herself toward the fallen knife, pure fear-driven instinct overruling her more logical side.

Had she been in the right state of mind, Ymir would have just bitten down on her tongue or her hand like Yeager, but as the icy tendrils of fear and dismay sunk into her mind after seeing the MPs murder a 15-year-old in cold blood, the frenzied rush of adrenaline forced her to reclaim the blade she used to shift.

And it was that split-second decision to go after the knife rather than biting herself which probably saved her life.

For as she dived for the knife, a second sun materialised behind her, consuming the area where she had just been sprawled out in a titanic explosion. The powerful shockwave of the blast slammed into her back like an invisible wall, launching her through the air like a ragdoll.

As she spun through the air, Ymir could feel the heat from the detonation wash over her, scorching her exposed skin and setting the tips of her hair aflame from the sheer intensity. After what felt like a lifetime of burning pain and nauseating spins, gravity reasserted its dominance over her rag-dolling form as brought Ymir back down to earth with a sickening thud.

Lying face down in the dirt, partially knocked senseless by the bone-rattling landing, Ymir desperately fought to stay conscious. Her much-needed healing abilities kicked in and set to work mending the numerous bone fractures and charred skin all over her body. The small wisps of steam which rose from her body mixed in with the smoke from her smouldering clothes.

Waking from her stupor, Ymir spat out a glob of blood into the dirt as the concussive forces of the explosion racking her body started to fade.

'_Shiiit, my head.' _She silently moaned, feeling like her skull was about to crack in half. _'What the fuck was that?'_

With her ears ringing, Ymir let out a drawn-out groan as she cracked open a single eye, hoping to discover what that explosion was. As the red splodges and stars in her vision started to fade and she stopped seeing double, the source of the detonation came into clear focus, and Ymir froze.

'_No…' _Her own mind started to rebel at what it was seeing, refusing to acknowledge the truth even as it happened in front of her. It couldn't be… it just couldn't. It wasn't possible.

Yet the impossible continued to play out in front of her. Through the cloud of the dust swirling around where Reiner's body had been, Ymir could make out the dark silhouette of something truly vast starting to move, and she could feel the vibrations in the ground as it pushed itself to its feet.

The MPs who hadn't been killed or knocked out by the blast, stared up at the obscured figure with wide eyes and open mouths, as the first inklings of unearthly dread started to sliver its way into their souls.

As a particularly strong gust of wind blew across the field, banishing the veil of dust away, it revealed the thing's massive body in all its harrowing glory, and Ymir nearly stopped breathing.

There, standing only a few dozen metres away from her was 15m of muscle, flesh and armoured plate which towered over everything in sight. The destroyer of Wall Maria stood perfectly still in the very heartlands of Wall Rose, staring down at its own giant hands with two shining red eyes.

It didn't react when the MPs started to scream and flee.

It didn't react when one of the braver, or dumber, MPs lifted a rifle in shaking hands and discharged a single round which bounced off its chest with all the impact of a raindrop.

It didn't react when the few conscious scouts scrambled backwards, dragging their injured comrades away from the unmoving Titan.

It just continued its unblinking stare, totally transfixed on the armoured palms.

With a purposeful slowness which bordered on hesitation_,_ the Armoured Titan brought its hands to its face and ran them over the sharp contours of its facial armour and serrated, pointed jaw.

As it probed at its own face, the Titan started to shake. It began as a small quiver in its hands, tightly pressed against its monstrous face, and quickly spread down the tree-trunk thick arms. Within seconds, its entire body was twitching with barely contained convulsions, as if it was suffering from some kind of seizure.

Then it did something that Ymir would remember for the rest of her life.

In all her days to come, no matter how high she rose or low she fell, no matter how many ordeals she overcame or how much suffering she endured, Ymir would forever be haunted by the memory of when the Armoured Titan threw back its head…

And screamed.

* * *

**Woohoo. This chapter is a big one for Hisu and Ymir, and for Reiner. I wanted to shake up the reveal a bit and thought what better way than by allowing soldier Reiner to discover he is the armoured titan. Goodbye, whatever sanity he had left.**

**Hope you guys and gals enjoyed it! And if you did, then let me direct you toward Isil'zha BLZ and their time-travel fic 'A Second Chance'. Seriously if you haven't read it already then stop whatever it is you're doing and go read it! It's a proper time-travel fic that is incredibly well written and thought out story (unlike my chicken scratchings!) so hopefully you will love it as much as I do!**


	25. Not This Time Rebuild - 2020 APRIL FOOLS

**[2020 APRIL FOOLS CHAPTER]**

**Hey Everyone.**

**So over the last few days and weeks, I have been thinking a lot about NTT and where I am going with this fic. While I am still happy with the overall story, I have fallen out of love with the ships involved.**  
**Now, rather than dropping this and re-writing a new version of the fic like so many other writers have done when they fall out of love with their characters, I've decided to do something different.**

**This chapter is a brave and important step toward reorientating this fic back in the direction I want it to go, and over the next few days and weeks, I will be going through the rest of the story and subtly editing it so everything looks like it had always been that way to match with the new endgame ships.**

**Anyway hope you enjoy the next instalment of NTT!**

* * *

If Armin was honest with himself, he should have known something was up when Mikasa slipped that piece of paper into his hand with a short, hastily scribbled message telling him to meet her in one of the unused sleeping quarters after lunch. He had expected some kind of planning session as to what they would do next, and maybe deep down, he had been hoping for something else. But both possibilities were derailed when he bumped into both Ymir and Historia, the latter holding a similar slip of paper.

"You got one as well?" He asked, showing his paper. Historia nodded, telling him her one had asked Ymir to tag along as well.

Together the three of them arrived at the room, with only some mild protests from Ymir. As they entered the room, they came across the unusual sight of Mikasa sitting on the bed nervously fiddling her thumbs.

She looked up at the three confused invitees and spoke four words which could incite fear and dread in the hearts of anyone who heard those fateful words.

"We need to talk."

Standing up, Mikasa began to pace across the room, radiating nervous energy like Hanji did crazy waves.

"Mikasa, what's wrong?" Armin piped up, neck growing stiff watching Mikasa pace back and forth.

"Everything is wrong." She answered, coming to a stop. "I can't keep lying to you all."

Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she looked at Armin with what can only be described with apologetic eyes. "Armin, I'm so sorry, but I've been using you."

"U-using me?" He stammered.

"Yes. I've been selfish and cowardly. I couldn't admit my true feelings to the person I love, so I was using you because you reminded me of them."

"O-oh." Armin tried to keep the pain out of his voice.

"The person I love… the one I have loved since I first laid eyes on them all those years ago, is you…" Mikasa turned her head and looked at the one she loved. _"Historia."_

Ymir looked both pissed off, confused and strangely bemused at the whole situation. She hadn't expected this and was definitely pissed off that Mikasa was trying the moves on Historia so brazenly, but she knew Historia was happy with her and didn't return Mikasa's feeli-

"FUCK YES!" Historia cried out, pumping her fist and jumping to her feet.

"What." Ymir deadpanned, not quite believing her ears.

"Sorry Ymir, you're a great gal, but this is Mikasa we are talking about. Like a badass warrior Queen." Before any more could be said, Historia leapt into Mikasa outstretched arms and the two kissed with such passion that it couldn't possibly be described in words.

So it won't be.

After breaking the indescribably erotic kiss, the two time-travelling girls looked into each other's eyes, ignoring their two open-mouthed witnesses. "Take me to your room," Historia commanded, channelling her inner queen, "Now."

"Your wish is my command." Mikasa answered with a broad smile and swiftly left the two stunned 'exes' behind, carrying the giggling Historia bridal style.

When the door slammed behind them, Armin and Ymir were finally shaken out of their daze like state. Both owlishly blinked at the closed door as if expecting the two to run back in at any moment and scream 'Fooled you!'.

But as the seconds ticked by, and the giggling became fainter and fainter, they were left with the startling conclusion that whatever the hell they just witnessed was 100% real.

"Damn…" Ymir finally muttered, shaking her head. She wondered if she was just in shock or something because after seeing her girlfriend leap into the arms of another after a single out of the blue confession, she felt remarkably calm. Heartbroken, but calm.

It was a strange mix.

Turning her head toward Armin, seeing his strangely serene expression which seemed to be matching her own, she found herself giving him a once over.

'_Blond, blue eyes, kinda cute, smart, single.'_ she listed, realising she had a thing for short, blue-eyed blondes.

"Hey Arlert, what do you say to being my torrid straight rebound fling?" She asked him completely seriously.

Hearing the question, Armin returned the favour of giving Ymir a once over.

'_Tough, stubborn, confident, strong, good-looking… Titan shifter.'_ he added, realising with his past feelings for Eren, Annie and Mikasa that he seemed to have a thing for Titan shifters.

"Sure." He answered with a shrug.

"Great." Ymir nodded, patting her hand against the bed she was sat on. "I hope you're not a dinner first kinda guy?"

Life was too short for any scout to be dinner first kind of person, and even a time-travelling scout was no exception to that. With a shake of his head, the two of them started to rapidly undress, seeing no real reason to delay.

As he reached for his belt, Armin hesitated. He had always dreaded when this day might come, never quite sure how to address the issue. "Hey Ymir," he looked at the freckled girl who was in the middle of taking off her shirt, "what's your 'how big is too big' policy?"

Yanking off the shirt, Ymir just cocked her head to the side with a look of confusion. "My _what_ policy?"

Armin allowed his trousers to drop.

All across the headquarters, hundreds of scouts were left reeling as the deafening cry of "HOLY SHIT!" echoed down the hallways.

* * *

Elsewhere

In an underground cell in an underground city, two scouts sat on the ground, mostly recovered from their daily verbal abuse and beating session a few hours ago.

While every day they endured horrible conditions and treatment from their captives, the two scouts could firmly say this had been a bonding experience like none other. They had entered this hell hole as comrades and perhaps having planted the first budding seeds of friendship. Now, with nothing to do in between beatings and sleeping except talk, they had become fast friends and confidants, freely telling each other all number of secrets and personal stories.

Today, after their daily beating, their discussion had turned to relationships. The romantic kind.

"I've had a few boyfriends. Nothing too serious." Petra shrugged, leaning back and resting her tangled, dirty hair against the cold stone walls. "Those outside the corp hear 'scout' and believe it's just a glorified one-night stand, thinking they will never see us again once we head out beyond the walls. And trying to get anyone inside the corp when you're in the special ops squad is nigh impossible. Apparently, it's _intimidating _to date someone who has killed a dozen Titans." she scoffed, remembering her last failed attempt at an inter-corp relationship.

"Be grateful for your training days Eren. It'll never be as easy to get some action as it was back then." Bequeathing her sage advice to her fortunately unbound friend across the cell, Petra smiled in the low light of the cell as the fond memories of those days came flooding back to her.

"I… I didn't really do any of that stuff during training." Eren hesitantly responded, a light pinkish hue on his slightly gaunt cheeks.

Petra shot forward, ribs protesting at her rapid movement. "Seriously? Nothing?"

Eren shook his head which only fuelled Petra's look of total disbelief.

"No way." she decided, "I refuse to believe that nothing happened during training. You're a handsome boy, Eren. You're confident, passionate and kind to boot. You should have been beating them off with a stick."

With every word, Eren's blush seemed to deepen. He wasn't used to hearing such praise directed at him like that from anyone, let alone an attractive older woman like Petra.

Seeing his deep blush, and relieved that Eren was coming out of his shell a bit after what that fat bastard had done to him, Petra grinned.

It was teasing time.

"So, you're telling me you never got 'locked in' one the storage sheds overnight with someone and had to 'share warmth' to survive? That's basically a military tradition, Eren. There's a reason shed six had such thick walls, ya know."

Eren looked up at her, his jaw-dropping as if finally understanding why he had found random pieces of clothing in that shed whenever he was placed on inventory duty. He briefly wondered if _they _had ever used- _'Nope, nope, nope, not going there. NOT going there!'_

"Alright, that's a no to the shed then. But what about a quick," curling her hand into a fist, Petra made a simple motion with it, leaving the implication face-burningly clear. And oh, how Eren's face burned.

"Or a," without mercy, she pushed out of her cheeks with her tongue. "behind one of the buildings?" she finished; the grin now spread wide across her face.

"Walls no!" Eren blurted out, completely mortified by the crude bluntness he believed only Ymir was capable of, and the slight stirring downstairs those mental images caused. "I've never even kissed a girl." The confession slipped out before he could think. Realising what he had just said, Eren's hand came flying up to cover his mouth, nearly knocking himself out with his manacles.

'_SHIT! Why did I say that?!' _While Eren had never cared too much about his lack of experience, it wasn't something he liked to talk about. More than once he had been laughed at in the boy's dorm for his naivety regarding such things, especially by horseface who claimed to have kissed countless girls.

He knew it was probably bullshit, but anything Jean had over him, even if it was fabricated, was a sore point for the young shifter.

Unbeknownst to Eren, his revelation had left Petra totally bewildered. She simply struggled to comprehend how someone like Eren could pass through bootcamp (even if he didn't do the full three years) without doing a single thing with anyone.

'_What the hell? Have the instructors finally found a way to stop teenagers from being teenagers?' _

Back in her day, the instructors must have spent most of their time interrupting and fruitlessly trying to keep hormonal teenagers apart. Was the old commander-turned-instructor that scary, that he had successfully intimated all his trainees into celibacy?

As soldiers, they were under a tremendous amount of stress, with the spectre of death hanging over them every single day, and Eren had never gotten to enjoy his cadet days under old Shadis's reign of tyranny.

'_It hardly seems fair after all the shit he's been through. Finding out he can turn into a Titan, saving Trost, nearly be executed by the government, and now this.' _Petra glared at the cell door then at the dried bloodstains on the floor. _'It's bullshit.'_

Her glare softened into a mere frown. She had known Eren little over a month, yet in that time he had become very important to her; first as a charge, then as a comrade, and now as a friend. And it just didn't sit right with her that with his… _condition _and the constant surveillance he was subject to, Eren might never get the chance to enjoy the finer things in life.

Of course, Petra wasn't only thinking about Eren here, as she privately lamented the lack of _finer things_ she had experienced lately. She had attempted to catch Captain Levi's attention more than once, but her aspirations had only been answered with seeming indifference.

Oh, who was she kidding? Trying to flirt with Levi was akin to getting blood from a stone. _'Might as well flirt with the stone. I would probably have more luck.' _Petra grumbled. _'I get that he's my senior officer and all that, but would it kill him to let his eyes wander every once in a while?'_

'_I've seen Eren take a quick look once or twice, and he was blushing like mad when he gave me his shirt.' _She thought, a tiny smile breaking through the frown. It was good to know she still had it, even in her current state.

She glanced over at the still red-faced Eren and found her carriage of thought had wildly spiralled from simple teasing to curiosity, then to something else entirely.

'_We could both die here.' _She cautiously reasoned, her resolve about being rescued from this place wavering, _'And while he might be innocent and a bit naive, he's not completely unaware of these things. Maybe we could…'_

'_Walls! What am I even saying?! Has this hellhole messed me up so badly that I'm honestly thinking about this?!' _She started to refute before getting side-tracked again.

'_But it's not like it would mean anything, right? Just two friends looking out for each other, nothing wrong with that…' _

Petra took a long mental pause. They had been through hell together, and she was probably closer to Eren than most other people she knew by now. They ate together, were beaten and mocked together, and slept together for warmth. They were the others' only rock in this nightmare.

'_Ah, screw it, what's the worst that could happen? He's probably as lonely as I am.'_ With her mind made up, and caution thrown to the wind, Petra took a breath, titled forward and started to move across the cell towards Eren.

"Hey, Eren." She called his name, causing the shifter to look up from his embarrassed brooding. "You told me you've read a lot of banned books with your friend, right?"

Eren, who was strangely captivated by the approaching Petra, cautiously nodded finding this mouth to be even drier than usual. He didn't know why she was moving on her hands and knees, or why her hips were swaying like that, but it was doing weird things to his head.

"Tell me," Petra smiled coyly, coming to a stop in front of him with their noses only inches away. What few higher brain functions Eren still had running, pointed out how breathtakingly pretty Petra was, even with dirty hair, dark shadows around her eyes, and that scarring on her cheek. "Did you ever come across the phrase _'ara ara'_ in any of those books?"

Eren shook his head, not knowing or caring what that phrase meant, his mind solely focused on how close Petra was and how her enticing pink lips moved as she spoke.

"Well, let me show you then." Petra purred into his ear, pressing forward to close the tiny gap which still lay between them and slowly sliding a hand down his jacket covered chest until it came to a rest right on top of his-

* * *

Very much Elsewhere.

"What the fuck?" Ymir (the eldritch God-like being trapped in an endless dimension of pure sand, not the freckled shifter who was currently wondering where the hell Arlert had hidden _that) _blurted out.

She had been in the middle of the Paths equivalent of channel surfing, flicking through her people's memories as a way to pass the 'time' in this un-ending limbo.

At first, she hadn't noticed a few strange changes here and there, but soon those changes became so pronounced and ridiculous that it utterly ruined her immersion in the real world.

A girl finding and gorging herself silly on several crates' worth of freshly baked potatoes that had just been lying about she could ignore.

A boy with stupid red twirling hair walking behind his horse and getting kicked so hard he would never have kids she found vaguely amusing, if slightly random.

An overgrown man-child suddenly deciding to drop his ridiculous anti-children crusade in favour of becoming a world-renown clown was enough to make her raise an eyebrow.

But these last few memories had been the final straw. They had come from nowhere, had no connection to the people's previous feelings and emotions, and were both overly sexual and/or perverse for no apparent reason.

Clearly, something or someone was screwing around with her children's memories.

Rising to her feet Ymir, mother of all Eldians and the First Titan, strode toward the mighty tree of life which dominated her featureless world. Coming to a stop before Yggdrasil, and being bathed in its azure glow, Ymir frowned feeling something was distinctly wrong with it.

"I wish I had called that Pathsmechanic several days/centuries ago." She sighed, resting a hand against the pillar of light. The poor thing had been suffering from trans-dimensional indigestion following that memory throwback it did a few seconds/years back, and as it worked through its backlog of stored memories, it must have allowed some to become contaminated or corrupted.

"Oh well." the girl said with a shrug, she knew how to fix this. Or at least push back the issue until the Pathsmechanic arrived.

It may have been the coordinate to which every Eldian who had ever live was innately connected to and had the history of their entire race stored within it, but ultimately the tree of life could be fixed like any other piece of temperamental equipment.

Ymir drew back her leg and kicked the tree as hard as possible.

"Ow." the tree said in treeglish.

Ymir waited for a while then frowned when nothing happened. Eventually, she realised that it wasn't the tree that was messing around with the memories but was, in fact, something far, _far _worse. Turning to look directly at the screen, Ymir broke the fourth wall and called out the writer.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing, you bloody weirdo?"

Wait, what?

"Don't you 'what' me! I know exactly what you are doing, forcing these beloved characters to act entirely out of character just to act out your creepy repressed fantasies."

What the hell?! How are you doing this?

"I'm a literal Goddess you mouthbreather, I can do whatever I want!"

But you're not real! You're just a character, a fictional character!

"Don't give me that crap. I'm literally talking to you; how can you say we're not real?! Haven't you put these characters through enough?! Pain, suffering, loss, and now you're just fucking around with them like some malicious, spiteful deity who revels at the notion of making their creations suffer. You make me sick."

At this point, the writer suffered a complete psychological breakdown from the existential crisis caused by his thorough dressing down by a self-aware 'fictional character'.

Scoffing in disgust at the sobbing writer, Ymir now looked directly at you, the reader. "And don't think I've forgotten about you either! You, who constantly support and help this madman, fuelling this nonsense by giving him all the love and ideas he needs to keep writing. Gah! Look at the degeneracy your support has given birth to!" she threw her hands up in frustration.

"Fine. I'll fix this." With a sigh and a clap of her hands, all of the above ceased to be, and everything reverted back to normal. (Except that boy with the dumb hair who got kicked by the horse, because Ymir did actually find that to be rather amusing.)

"Now that's better, isn't it? Anyway, happy April fools." Ymir said, brushing her hands against her sandy, nondescript dress.

And with the fourth wall irreversibly shattered and the pieces of rubble set aflame, a large curtain fell across the screen, bringing this chapter, and its totally non-canon insanity, to a close.

* * *

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**April Fools**

**Did I get any of you?**

**(The real chapter is coming along nicely but hopefully, this shit post tides you over until then!)**


	26. Questions and Answers Part 1

**Hey all, I hope everyone is staying safe and is healthy in these difficult times.**

**I believe I can class that Aprils fool chapter as a moderate success (but one that could be improved upon for near year *nudge nudge*). Hopefully, I didn't lose any readers due to that prank but if I did then that's just the costs of April fools. **

**Anyway, onto the real chapter. Now I know some of you will be disappointed by the fact this chapter isn't the Reiner PoV, and I am as well, but as I started writing it just didn't feel right, so I decided to do this instead. Basically there is going to be three chapters showing most of the main cast's reaction to what happened in chapter 24. **

**The first (this one) is Hisu and the gang starting to deal with Reiner and Historia's identity reveal. ****The second chapter will be Erwin and Levi dealing with Eren's kidnapping and Reiner. ****And the third will be Armin and Mikasa dealing with Bert's 'disappearance', Reiner's unveiling, Eren's kidnapping and Historia (because nothing is ever easy for our main characters.)**

**At the end of the third chapter most of the cast (except Eren and Petra ofc) will be united again and they will have a slightly muddled picture of what happened with Reiner. THEN I will do the Reiner PoV which will hopefully tie lots of things together and begin the early set up for the endgame.**

**Also, this chapter is dedicated to Connie because he is a good boy who doesn't deserve all the crap he's been through in the manga.**

* * *

Scout Ranch - Wall Rose Territory

Moments later

At the age of fourteen, Marco Bott may have not lived a long life, but he was no stranger to fear.

When he was a child, he had been afraid of the dark and had kept a candle burning in his room late into the night.

When he had signed up to become a cadet, he had been so nervous that his signature was barely legible from his shaking hands.

When he saw the face of the Colossal Titan looming over Trost and its foot smash through the outer gate, he had been so scared that for a few moments he had seriously considered deserting his post and fleeing the city.

And, when the adrenaline coursing through his body had worn off after his first expedition as a scout, he had snuck behind a wall out of sight of his friends and promptly threw up, emptying what felt like week's worth of semi-digested food onto the grass

But none of his past experiences with fear could have prepared him for the total heart-wrenching terror he felt in that very moment.

"SHIT!" "OH MY GOD!" "RUUUNNN!"

The cacophony of terrified wailing rang in his ears, as he was shoved back by the writhing mass of fleeing recruits.

It had all happened so fast. The MPs, the fight, the plan, the _shot_.He had seen it all, glancing out one of the windows to fulfil his adhoc role of second in command. He had seen Reiner get hit and fall to the ground, blood pouring from his chest, and nearly screamed out in terror, before _IT_ happened.

The small orange spark which shot out of Reiner's chest, the blinding flash of light which engulfed his body, and the spiralling cloud of dust that had been kicked up in the explosion's wake. And as the dust cleared, Marco saw it for the first time in his life.

The Armoured Titan.

Marco had desperately tried to maintain control of the terrified, unarmed recruits, but his efforts had failed before they even began. How could he have succeeded after they had all witnessed the guy, many of them considered to be an older brother turn into mankind's worst enemy before their very eyes?

He was shoved back into the corridor by a stampede of teenagers attempting to flee out the back, even as he tried to shout out orders for everyone to remain calm.

And then the scream started.

It was a sound like no other, a hideous, blood-curdling cry which pierced into the very soul of anyone who heard it. Glass panels shattered and hands were thrown over ears in a futile attempt to block out the noise. It was so loud that Marco couldn't even hear his comrades screaming in his ear as they charged past him.

A hand closed around his forearm, and before Marco knew what was happening, he was yanked aside. Looking to his left, he came face to face with a pale-faced Connie whose mouth was opening and closing, yet no sound could be heard over that deafening screech.

Marco allowed himself to be dragged away by Connie, too stunned to do anything else.

Connie pulled him through an open door just in time to see Sasha, with the bow and quiver they had found thrown over her shoulder, all but shoving Kris- _Historia_ through the open window. It was almost a comical scene, but no one found it funny.

"GO!"Connie shouted, just loud enough to be heard over the screams. Sasha nodded and dived through the window after the short blond.

Connie shoved him forward toward the window, but it was at that point when Marco finally found his voice again, and he pushed back. "W-wait! The others! We can't leave them!"

Connie simply pointed out the window with a shaking hand. Turning to look, Marco could see at least a dozen recruits running for their lives in different directions, having clambered out of windows to escape the building.

"Oh." he breathed out, a cold sweat forming on his back. He suddenly felt very alone.

"MOVE!"Connie screamed at him after proving his point, practically shoving Marco through the window, much like Sasha had done to Historia. He landed on his back, hissing in pain when a broken shard of glass stabbed into his palm, and awkwardly rolled to his feet.

He saw Sasha running towards the woods, dragging the girl called Historia by the hand and he took off after them, swiftly followed by Connie.

As he ran for life, deafened by the scream and the sound of his own blood roaring in his ears, something beyond his understanding forced Marco to look back. Maybe it was just morbid curiosity or some instinct rooted deep within mankind's collective psyche, to look towards the source of such a loud, harrowing noise.

Whatever it was that made him do, Marco looked back and instantly wished he hadn't.

Even with the ranch between them, the plate covered behemoth was clearly visible, its upper body towering over the thatched roof like a man's would over a child's doll's house. Its terrible bellowing could be heard for miles, and it seemed like the very foundations of the earth were shaking as the beast jerked around, violently shaking its head and wildly lashing out at the open-air with its thick tree-trunk like arms.

A few muted pops could be heard over the relentless din of the screaming, followed by tiny sparks appearing on the Titan's carapace. Gunshots, some part of Marco recognised. The MPs were shooting at it.

The Titan didn't even notice the impacts as it stumbled about, and drew its arms back to its face. Impossibly, the screaming grew even louder as the Titan plunged its clawed fingers into the exposed flesh between its armour jaw and plated cheeks. Boiling Titan blood and billows of scorching steam poured from around its embedded fingers, as the Titan started to tear at its own face.

Flesh was torn, muscles gouged, and plates cracked and snapped. More and more blood poured out, as the Titan continued to claw and strain until finally with a sickening meaty squelch the Titan ripped off its own lower jaw with such ferocity that it lost its footing and stumbled backwards, right on top of the ranch.

The proud timber building they had been hiding in only moments ago splintered like matchsticks, smashed to pieces under the Titan's enormous weight, and launching razor-sharp debris out in all directions. Chunks of wood and shards of glass came hurtling toward the fleeing recruits like a deadly hailstorm. Some recruits screamed and cried out in pain as they were battered by debris. Others, like the boy Marco glimpsed out the corner of his eye, didn't even have time to shout as he was smashed over the head with a flying stake. The boy crumpled to the ground, his body unmoving as blood quickly pooled around his head.

So much blood and destruction, all from one Titan. All from _Reiner_.

Marco managed to tear his horrified gaze away from the monster thrashing about within the wreckage, and didn't look back.

* * *

The four of them had run like hell. As fast and as far as they could. Deeper and deeper still into the woods, running until their legs burnt and their lungs felt like they were about to explode. They had run until the terrible screeching of the Titan could no longer be heard, leaving them surrounded on all sides by only the eerie stillness of the woods and their own laboured breathing.

"What. The hell. Was that?!" Sasha demanded to know, each word bitten out in between large gasps of air.

As soon as they stopped running, Historia fell to the ground, winded and wrapped her arms around her knees. The others gave her space as she hid her face away, which she was grateful for, even if it was done due to their distrust in her. She didn't know if she could answer any of their questions right now with the jumbled mess of emotions warring inside her head.

She had been so sure Ymir had revealed herself when the lightning struck, but then the ground started to shake, and that scream started, and she knew it couldn't be her. Ymir's Titan simply wasn't big or loud enough to make those sounds. So when she saw the Armoured Titan as Sasha dragged her away, it had filled her with equal parts relief and fear. Relief from knowing Ymir hadn't revealed herself, but fear from knowing she had been out there when Reiner transformed.

'_Ymir,' _She hugged her knees tighter,_ 'please be okay.'_

"A Titan… It was the Armored Titan… How the hell was it inside Rose?!" Connie wheezed out, wiping a shaking hand over his sweat-soaked brow. Even for a trained soldier such as himself, that punishing dash over the uneven ground of the forest had put even the worst of Shadis's training runs to shame.

"It wasn't a Titan." A cold voice said, and it took Marco a moment to realise it was his own.

He was resting his head against a tree, heavily breathing and staring down at his feet, feeling a decade older than he had that morning. In the span of a few minutes, Marco's worldview had been brutally turned on its head. He had seen the regiment he had once been so eager to join viciously attack his older comrades, threaten a group of teenagers, then shoot a friend who turned out to be mankind's mortal enemy.

Despite joining the scouts, Marco had still held the MPs in high regard, naively believing them to be the right and just defenders of the King and the people. But now he wasn't sure what to think anymore.

'_Is that who I would have become if I joined the MPs? A violent thug beating up and shooting? Is that what service to the King entails?'_

Marco let out a shaky breath, as he felt the disbelieving gazes of Connie and Sasha burning into his back. Of course, they wouldn't believe him, they hadn't seen it as he had.

"It wasn't a Titan." He repeated slowly, his bloody hand shaking by his side.

The usually jovial duo of the 104th shared a quick look, before turning back to Marco. "Dude," Connie blurted out after a pregnant pause, "You heard that screaming, right? And we all saw it as we ran. It was a Titan, man, the Armoured fucking Titan!"

Whatever reactions the two friends were expecting from Marco, laughter was not one of them. Even Historia looked up at the low, bitter chuckle which escaped the shaking freckled scout. It sounded so distinctly wrong in the deep dark woods that it sent a shiver down their spines.

"I saw Connie. By the Walls, I saw." The bitter laughter took on a slightly hysterical note as Marco spun round to face them. "I saw him die. I watched the MPs shoot a bloody hole through his damn chest. I saw him fall and die, but he didn't! Hejust turned into that… that… _thing_, just like Eren! IT'S HIM, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN HIM!"

"W-what? Marco, please, calm down." Sasha started, taking a small, hesitant step back. She found her hand drifting towards the bowstring crossing her chest, as Marco crazy ramblings grew into a shout.

In all the time she had known him, he had been nothing but kind, level headed and, frankly, _normal_. Yet here he was, laughing and raving like a madman in the woods, denying the existence of the Titan they had all seen and heard.

It frightened her.

"What do you mean, who are you talking about? Who's 'him'?"

"Reiner!" Marco finally snapped, shouting out the name like a curse. "I saw him change with my own eyes! He's the Armoured Titan, like Eren!" The memory of Reiner's fall and transformation slammed back into his mind's eye. The mental anguish and pain it caused were too much for Marco to bear, and his legs buckled and brought him to his knees.

Marco managed to keep himself from face planting on the floor by pressing his injured hand into the dirt, holding his body upright, as his other arm wrapped around his stomach, trying to fight back the wave of nausea threatening to overwhelm him.

'_Oh, God. Reiner...' _

How could he do this? How could he betray them all like this? Did those years of training mean nothing to him? All that blood, sweat and tears they had shed together?

They had shared a barracks for years, his bed only metres away from people like Armin and Eren, whose home and family he had destroyed. He had listened to their horror stories of the fall and still had the audacity to keep looking them in the eye.

'_You bastard… you treacherous bastard...'_

At hearing the shouted name, Sasha recoiled as if struck, and Connie's face when ghostly pale before colouring with anger. "You think this is some sort of joke, Marco?! " Connie snapped, taking a step towards his doubled over friend. Still massively on edge from what had happened, Marco messing around and accusing Reiner, their friend, of being a Titan pissed him off something fierce.

"This ain't funny, and it's not a joke! There's a fucking Titan inside Wall Rose, so stop screwing around! I'd expect that sort of shit from Ymi-" He trailed off, as Historia tensed up at the aborted name. Ymir had been outside when that Titan appeared, she could be dead for all he knew, same as Reiner.

"I thought you weren't the sort to fuck around like this!" Connie corrected.

Marco's head snapped up, "I'm not screwing around, Connie! I saw it!"

"Bullshit! Reiner is not a Titan! That's fucking ridiculous!"

Now it was Marco's turn to get angry. Rising to his feet on shaky legs, he glared at Connie as his hand curled into a fist. "I know what I saw! You think I want it to be him?!"

"I _think _you were seeing shit!"

Marco moved forward until the two teens were almost faced to face, automatically sizing each other up as they had been taught in bootcamp. Marco knew he had Connie beat in the height department, standing a whole head taller than him, and he used that to glare down at him.

"I know what I saw." He repeated coldly, blood dripping to the ground from his clenched fist.

"That's enough! Both of you!" Sasha ordered, getting in between the two boys and pushing them away. Of all things she thought she would be doing today, stopping a potential fight between Connie and Marco of all people was not one of them.

"We shouldn't be fightin' each other. Not when there's a Titan, or Reiner, or whatever, back there! We need to work together!" She pleaded, her hands still firmly planted on their chests to keep them apart.

"Don't tell me you believe this shit, Sash? This is Reiner we are talking about!" Connie asked hotly, fighting to get his anger under control. He had very nearly done something he would have regretted had Sasha not stepped in, and judging by the look of shame on Marco's face, he wasn't the only one.

Sensing the situation defusing slightly, Sasha allowed her hands to drop but maintained her position between the two just in case. "I-I don't know, Connie." Just saying the words drained Sasha emotionally. "Reiner was outside when it happened, and Marco said he saw it, why would he lie?"

She wanted it to not be true, desperately so. She wanted Marco to be wrong, and Connie to be right, but she just couldn't shake that sinking feeling that had been growing within her ever since Marco had said Reiner's name.

"I'm not saying he's lying, just confused and seeing things." Connie protested, knowing in his heart of hearts that Marco wasn't a liar, leaving him miss-seeing things as the only possible explanation for what he was saying.

"I'm not the only one who saw it, Connie," Marco spoke quietly, his own anger having burnt out, and replaced with equal parts shame and sadness. "You can ask the others if we find them. They all saw it."

Connie turned away and ran a shaky hand over his hair. "I can't believe this… are you two even hearing yourselves?! You're saying that Reiner, _our friend_, is a Titan. A Titan that destroyed Maria killing tens of thousands of people and attacked us during the expedition. Have you lost your minds?!"

"I don't want it to be true, Con." Sasha answered quietly, looking down at her feet.

"Coulda fooled me…" She flinched at the heated retort, already feeling like she was betraying Reiner for even considering what Marco said, and now she was hurting Connie because of it.

"Connie, I-" Whatever Sasha was going to say was cut off as the expert hunter abruptly straightened up and fell silent. Years of practice had honed her senses to an uncanny ability, allowing her to pick up and assess tiny sounds that most others wouldn't even hear.

Sounds like a faint, distant thudding noise, growing steadily louder.

Sounds like footsteps.

Turning about at the stillborn sentence, Connie's eyes grew wide as Sasha quickly wiped off the bow and started notching an arrow. "S-sash?"

"Shhh!" Sasha hissed scanned the darkness of the woods with her sharp eyes. "I hear something."

A hush fell over the scouts, as they all listened in trying to determine what it was that Sasha heard. It took them a few moments, but soon they heard it as well.

Something, or someone, was heading towards them.

Sasha brought up the bow and aimed it in the vague direction of the steps, trying to control her unsteady breathing. Her fingers trembled around the string as the sound seemed to be echoing off the trees in multiple directions.

'_It could just be the others who ran and followed our tracks.' _She cautioned, her mouth painfully dry. _'But if it's not and they reach us… It could be the MPs, or… him.'_

Her quiver held twelve arrows, and Sasha had never failed to bring down an animal with more than three before. But what was coming was no wild animal, it was a person, it could even be multiple people, and Sasha had never fired an arrow at a human being before.

Could she really do it? Take a life, even if it was in self-defence?

"_Calm down, Sasha. Take a deep breath and steady your hands." _Her father's words from many years ago played in her head. _"I know it seems cruel at first, but we never hunt for fun. We only hunt for food and safety. To keep food on our plates and wolves away from our home. We hunt to sustain the things we love, Sasha. Can you do that? Can you hunt to protect the things you love?"_

"_...yes, Papa." _She remembered her own answer well, spoken with all the seriousness a six-year-old could muster as her father placed the training bow in her hands.

"_Good. Then let's begin."_

Sasha's breathing slowed and steadied, and the tremble in her fingers died down. Safety for those she cared about, she could do that… she _would_ do that.

The footsteps grew louder, and they could hear the runner's heavy panting as they approached. With the newfound calmness and conviction in her heart and mind, Sasha focused on the sound. It was definitely echoing, but the panting, while erratic, all had the same tone and depth to it. It wasn't multiple people as she had fear, it was just one.

The bowstring strained against her fingertips, pulled back to its limits. Sasha took a tiny, almost imperceptible step to her left and adjusted her aim higher. A human heart was further up than a deer's after all.

There was a crack of a branch breaking underfoot, and it was just what Sasha had been waiting for. A definite direction of her target. Taking a split second to point the bow in precisely the right direction, she loosed the arrow without hesitation.

The wooden shaft cut through the air at a blinding speed, slashing through dense vegetation with ease. The intended target had just burst through a bush into their clearing and was tilted forward mid-stride when the arrow soared past her, mere millimetres from the back of her head, but still passing close enough to severe a few strands of singed hair, before the arrowed continued its journey into the darkness.

The target let out a strangled cry of shock as she felt the soundwave caused by the soaring arrow smack into her ears, unbalancing her and causing her to topple forward and crash to the ground. The pale, freckled face of the target rose up from the dirt and shot a blistering glare in the direction of the archer.

"Fucking hell, Potato girl!" Ymir shrieked, "You nearly shot me!"

The familiar angry voice caused Sasha to freeze and blanche. The arrow she had already started to notch for her follow up shot slipped from her fingers. _'Oh shit.'_

Historia shot to her feet. "Ymir?!" She shouted, daring to hope this wasn't a dream.

"Historia!" Ymir called back, quickly rising to her feet. That was all it took for Historia to start running towards her.

The two lovers collided into one another, in a tight embrace, both relieved beyond words to see the other. Ymir smiled at Historia, lightly running her thumb across the small cut she had picked up on her cheek during the rapid flight through the woods.

Historia looked up at Ymir with tears in her eyes. She smiled back at her girlfriend for a moment, then delivered the hardest punch she could muster straight to Ymir's shoulder.

"Don't ever do something so goddamn stupid again, you hear me Ymir!"

"Ow!" Ymir moaned, gingerly rubbing her shoulder having been rapidly, and thoroughly disillusioned of her hope that her return would be met with a heartfelt kiss or something similar. "I was just trying to protect you from the MPs!"

"You should have done that by staying with me!" Historia fired back. "You could have been killed!"

"I would have been fi-" Ymir stopped, realising that was a lie. Had she been just a little bit closer to Braun when he changed, or if that MP had been a faster shot and aimed for her head, she might have died. She knew next to nothing about the true extent of her abilities; could she recover from bodywide third-degree burns or a bullet to the brain?

'_She's right. I was stupid. So much for playing the hero...' _

"Look, I-I'm sorry, alright. I didn't realise, I was just doing what I thought was right." The rogue shifter apologised.

Having vented most of her frustration and anger, Historia buried her face in Ymir's other shoulder, feeling her warmth and inhaling her scent to make sure she was real. "I thought I lost you." She sobbed quietly.

Ymir rubbed the shaking girl's back, trying to comfort her, now feeling like a world's worst girlfriend. "Hey, it's alright, I'm here now. You can't get rid of me that easily."

"I know. But if you do that again, I'll kick your ass. I swear." Historia half-laughed, half-sobbed.

The others stood around awkwardly, quietly waiting for the two to finish their private moment. Sasha, after subtly retrieving the arrow that had slipped from her hand, stood extremely still trying to blend into the background, hoping that Ymir would be in a forgiving, or at least understanding, mood about her near-skewering.

Connie, on the other hand, let out a huge sigh of relief, genuinely happy to see the abrasive freckled girl. Never before had her irksome face been such a welcome sight. And since she was outside when the Titan appeared, hopefully Ymir could put this ridiculous Reiner theory to rest.

"Ymir," He blurted, unable to wait any longer. "You're alive!"

The scathing look Ymir gave him caused his mouth to snap close with an audible click. Rising to her feet, and helping Historia up with her, Ymir huffed and rolled her eyes. "No shit, moron. Any other brilliant observations?"

As Ymir started to tear into Connie, Marco found himself staring at her. She had been standing right beside him until he shoved her, and Marco had seen her being blasted away when he transformed at a blistering speed. Part of him assumed that the blast had killed her instantly, or at least caused serious catastrophic injuries akin to a full-speed 3DMG accident.

Yet, Ymir seemed to be fine; her clothes may have been ragged and charred, and it looked like some of her hair had been burnt, but physically there didn't seem to be a single mark on her. Not one cut, burn or bruise.

She must have been the luckiest person on Earth.

"Ymir," he called her name, interrupting the growing verbal sparring match. "How did you get away? You were right next to him."

Connie's head swivelled to level another glare at him, but Marco ignored it. Ymir had seen it as well, hell, she probably saw more than he did. She would be able to prove that he wasn't insane as Connie believed.

For the briefest moment, her grey eyes met his, and Marco saw it in her eyes. Vindication. Something he found no pleasure in, but something he knew needed to happen.

Ymir looked away and grunted. "I got lucky. Braun shoved me away before he changed, and the explosion sent me flying out of reach. Then I ran after you lot."

That was all Ymir was willing to say, and they all knew that unless Historia asked her directly, she would not elaborate further. But she didn't need to, for she had already confirmed the dreadful truth.

Sasha shuddered and looked away, and Connie stumbled back soundlessly moving his mouth. Both of them felt like someone had just plunged a knife into their chest and cruelly twisted it. Marco took no pleasure from their reaction or his own vindication, wanting it to be as untrue as they had hoped, but knowing they deserved the truth, even if it was painful. He refused to be the third friend who lied to them today.

"No… No!" Connie's anguish was clear to hear. "I don't believe it, I don't believe any of this bullshit! If Reiner was a Titan," Connie sneered the word as he scowled at Ymir, "why the hell would he bother pushing you out the way? Well?! Why would a Titan do that?! You and Reiner hate each other!"

"I don't know!" Ymir snapped back harshly, "But it happened, so you need to deal with it because throwing a hissy fit ain't gonna change shit! Or maybe you'd like to go back and see for yourself? You could ask some of the bodies I had to run past what happened, would you believe them?!"

"Fuck you!" Connie furiously spat, wondering how he could have ever been grateful to see her stupid face. Just once, just fucking once, could Ymir not be such an insufferable bitch?!

A hand grabbed him, fingers wrapping around his clenched fist and pulled him around to come face to face with Sasha. A few strands of her reddish-brown hair had slipped from her ponytail and hung down over her ashen face. She said nothing as she squeezed his hand, drawing his eyes to hers.

Those light brown orbs which were usually so bright and full of life, constantly shining with boundless energy, were now dull and bloodshot as if she had been holding back tears.

Despite it only lasting a few seconds, the loaded gaze felt like an age for Connie, and he could feel his resolve weakening. Then, with deliberate slowness, Sasha lightly shook her head, never breaking eye contact.

For all of Marco's insistence and Ymir's spiteful bluntness, all it took was Sasha simply saying no to bring Connie's wall of anger and denial crumbling down, leaving only the pain behind. The pain of betrayal, the pain of loss.

Reiner was his friend, one of his best friends. Connie trusted him, cared for him, fought alongside him. Loved him as a friend and a brother. How could he do this to him, to all of them?!

"I can't…" Connie started to say, before choking up, unable to finish his grief-stricken cry.

The thin watery smile Sasha gave him was more comforting than it had any right to be. "I know… I know." The whispered acknowledgement was all she said, but nothing else was needed. She knew him too well.

Even as she was still composing herself, Historia watched everything with a growing sense of shame. She had forgotten how devastating Reiner's betrayal had been on Sasha and Connie, and how much it had hurt them. They didn't have the cold comfort of a past life to shield them from the pain and had to live through each raw and painful second for the first time.

She wanted to say something; to comfort them, or apologise to them. But it was because of her, her father and his MPs that they had to find out about Reiner this way, so hearing from her was probably the last thing they wanted.

Historia knew that them finding out about Reiner was inevitable, but she had hoped it would come after he had been dealt with, to at least save them from having to witness it first hand.

'_I'm sorry. It shouldn't have been this way… but we need to keep moving. The MPs aren't going to stop while Rod is still alive.'_

Fortunately for Historia, she could always rely on her girlfriend's appalling sense of timing and her unyielding bluntness to express the things she was too ashamed to say.

"Right, if we're all done dealing with our monthlies can we move on and decide what we're going to do next? Because I'd rather not spend the rest of my life hiding in a forest from a Titan and the MPs, especially with you three." Ymir lazily draped an arm over Historia's shoulder, trying to sound bored and indifferent. But the tightness of her jaw and visible tension in her stance betrayed how on edge she truly was.

As crude as it was, Ymir's question helped to drive home the full weight of the situation the young scouts found themselves in. They were lost deep in the woods, alone and unarmed except for a single bow, a handful of arrows and their bare hands. One of their number was being hunted by the MPs for reasons as yet unknown, and all the while the Armoured Titan, now revealed to be one of their closest and most trusted friends, was now loose within Wall Rose.

Their oaths and commitments as soldiers commanded them to return to the ranch, and fight. To do anything and everything in their power to defend humanity against its most hated foe, even if they had no gear.

But for Sasha, Connie and Marco their old loyalty and bonds of friendship pinned them in place, crippling them with indecisiveness. For all the righteous fury and anger that should have been burning within their hearts against Reiner for his ultimate betrayal, they couldn't bring themselves to go back and face him. Everything was just too recent and raw.

"We can't stay here." Sasha quietly murmured, finally letting go of Connie's hand. She saw everyone looking at her and quickly stared down at her feet, both embarrassed and ashamed of what she was about to say. "And… I don't think we should go back."

It was a treasonous statement, one of desertion and cowardness made in a time of emergency. By military law, they could be court-martialed for even suggesting such a thing, and if they went through with it, they could all face the firing line. Hell, if the court was especially dogmatic, they were already guilty of desertion by fleeing the ranch.

But even with this threat hanging over their heads, the young scouts (for various reasons) found they didn't really care. The courts and a firing line sounded more preferable, and survivable than facing Reiner right now.

"I-I know somewhere we could go." Connie murmured morosely, his voice still thick with emotions. "There's a village to the north-west of here, maybe two, three hours by foot. We could stop there, get some supplies, maybe even borrow some horses. We'll be safe there."

'_And maybe we can get some answers about what the fuck happened today.' _He thought bitterly, sweeping his gaze over at Krista, or Historia, or whatever the hell her name was now.

Sasha and Marco looked relieved, and while Historia said nothing, she did give a small nod of agreement. Ymir, however, looked cynical.

"How do you know that?" She demanded, her hackles still raised. "And how can we trust them not to rat us out if some more MPs come knocking? Cause I ain't in a trusting mood right now."

Connie coolly regarded her for a moment, too despondent and dispirited to grow angry. He just didn't have it in him to argue with her again so he simply answered her question with four simple words.

"Because it's my home."

* * *

Ragako Village - Wall Rose Territories

Ragako was a typical rural village in every sense of the word.

Less than two dozen houses of varying sizes and designs were smattered about, radiating out from the communal well and the small market square which hosted a handful of stalls selling fresh produce, bread, cloth and other mundane but vital items one might need to live a simple village life.

The fact some of these stalls were left unattended except for small signs telling potential customers to just leave the cash in the box while the owner was grabbing some lunch only added to the atmosphere of an incredibly tight knitted community.

Ymir had openly scoffed at the signs, but a hard glare from Connie and, surprisingly, Sasha had stilled her reaching hand before she could swipe an apple.

Several children were kicking a ball around on the main street, laughing and shouting in the way that playing kids did. But when the children noticed the slowly approaching group of scouts, they stopped and stared, curious as to who these rare visitors to their village were. It only lasted a few moments before one of the kids broke ranks and sprinted full pelt toward the group.

"CONNIE!" The girl screamed joyously, leaping into Connie's outstretched arms and wrapping her thin arms around his chest.

"Heya, Sunny. How have you been?" Connie smiled down at the long locks of blond hair, subtly trying to blink away the wetness in his hazel eyes as he hugged his sister. "You've gotten bigger since I last saw you."

The little girl looked up a brilliant, beaming smile on her face. "I've been great! Mrs Lunda's cat had kittens, and she and Ma said I could have one! They're soooo cute!" Sunny then buried her face in Connie's chest. "I missed you." she mumbled.

"I missed you too, sis." Connie kissed his sister's forehead, trying to remember the last time he saw her.

'_Probably visitation day last year. Fuck, has it really been that long?'_

It was strange to think about really, so much had changed for Connie in the last few months that last year felt like an eternity ago.

Last year he had wanted to join the MPs.

Last year he had never even seen a Titan with his own eyes, let alone fought one.

Last year his biggest concern was keeping off Shadis's shitlist and trying to avoid being assigned with Annie for hand to hand combat.

Now his biggest concern was fleeing for his life from the MPs trying to track them down and from someone he had once considered to be an older brother.

Other things could change so fast, but at least his family stayed the same, even if his little sister had shot up like a tree.

"Who are they? Are they soldiers too?" Sunny whispered, having warily eyed the four strangers her brother had arrived with over his shoulder.

The girl with a ponytail and a bow had noticed her looking, and waved at her. Sunny had to resist the urge to wave back, remembering what Mummy had told her about stranger danger. Sunny always thought she worried too much, after all, there were no strangers in Rakago. She knew everyone, and they all knew her.

"Yeah. They're my friends from bootcamp." Connie smiled, quickly glancing at his friends before turning back to face his sister again. "Listen, Sunny, where's mum and dad? I need to talk to them about something, it's important."

Sunny scrunched up her nose and frowned. Connie was using that same tone of voice that Mummy and Daddy used when talking about adult things that they refused to tell her about. It was weird to hear Connie talking like a grownup, but she supposed that being a soldier made him an adult as well.

"Mummy's at home with Martin, but Dad's away. He's in Krolva for the week, helping Uncle Samia move house." Sunny informed him, her frown deepening at the odd look of relief that flashed across Connie's face. Did he not want to see Dad or something?

"Good… that's good." Connie breathed out, waving for his friends to follow them. "Come on sis, let's go surprise Ma and Marty, shall we?" Before Sunny could answer, Connie had grabbed her hand and started walking toward the Springer household, his friends in tow.

As they were led through the quaint village, Sasha walked a bit faster to catch up with Connie and his adorable button-nosed sister. "You know, I never realised how close Ragako was to Dauper. We're practically neighbours." She said with a smile, falling into line with the siblings. Ragako might be missing the familiar sounds and smells of the forest, but it still reminded her of home.

"Imagine if we were actually neighbours. We probably would have burnt the village down before we were ten." Connie lightly chuckled, picturing it in his mind.

"Ha, yeah. But at least I could have taught you how to hunt properly."

"I'm not that bad." Connie weakly protested.

Sasha raised an eyebrow. "You managed to catch yourself in your own snare trap… _twice!_"

Sunny looked back and forth between the two bantering teens. She didn't know who this girl was, but she had seemed friendly, and Connie did say she was his friend. Maybe it was okay to talk to her?

"You know how to hunt?" With childlike innocence, Sunny blurted out her question, unabashedly staring at the bow the girl had slung over her shoulder.

The auburn-haired girl smiled down at her and proudly patted the bow. "Yep. I've probably been hunting since you were still in your baby clothes, Sunny."

"You- you know my name?" Sunny asked, eyes widening in surprise.

"Oh yeah, Connie told me all about you and your brother back in bootcamp." She nodded with a toothy grin, before dropping her voice into a stage whisper, "Don't tell him I said this, but he missed you two so much. Cried like a baby for weeks."

"Really, Sasha? _Really?_" Connie groaned as Sunny broke out in a fit of giggles. She liked this Sasha, and now that they knew each other's names they weren't strangers anymore, right?

Reaching out with her free hand, Sunny latched onto Sasha's sleeve and gave it a light tug. "Could you teach me to hunt? I'll be better than Connie, I promise!"

From a few paces back, flanked by Marco and Ymir, Historia watched the trio with a ghost of a smile. She was sure that had this been any other day she would have been openly squealing at how adorable the three of them looked, holding on to each other as they walked down the street. But with everything that had happened today, Historia's troubled heart only permitted that small smile.

Countless questions were flying about her head, each one demanding an answer. Was coming here the right thing to do? Her father and the interior squad wouldn't think twice about burning Ragako to the ground if they suspected they were hiding her from them. Her mere presence here was endangering the lives of everyone in this village.

'_We can't stay here long.' _She decides, not wanting to put Connie's home and family at risk. No one deserved to go through what he did a second time, even if he didn't remember the first time. _'I need to find Armin and Mikasa. Together we'll think of something.'_

Marco had been quiet since the incident in the woods, his mind still a thousand miles away as he walked through Connie's village. He had tried to keep his eyes fixed forward but had nevertheless found himself occasionally glancing over his shoulder as if expecting to see Reiner or the MPs appearing behind them at any moment.

The action did little to soothe his rampant sense of paranoia and fear, but at the very least, he was more in control than he had been in the woods.

Connie had apologised to him during the walk, and they had made up in the way only guys could. As they neared the two-hour mark of their journey here, Connie had fallen into lockstep with him, and after several minutes of awkward silence, the shorter teen had broken the tension with an odd question.

"So... who would've won?" Connie had asked, referring to their near fight with a weak grin.

Despite everything, Marco found a tiny smile forming on his face at the inane question. "Well, I've got you beat on height and weight, but you scored higher in CQC training." He had answered with a shrug, "But either way, Sasha probably would have beaten us both if we started."

"Ha, yeah..." Connie snorted, wholeheartedly agreeing with Marco's assessment of Sasha kicking both their arses. Afterall she had been the one who had twisted his arm into apologising now rather than leaving the divide between the two boys to widen and fester.

"Hey man, listen…" Connie took a breath, anxiously rubbing the back of his head. "I'm sorry for being a dick back there, you didn't deserve it. I just didn't want to believe it ya' know?"

"I understand, Connie. I- I didn't want to believe it either." Marco had replied softly, painfully aware of Connie's reasonings.

"Thanks, Marco…" Connie trailed off, letting out a sigh of relief. "So, we good?"

Marco nodded, "Yeah, we're good."

They walked on silently for several more minutes, the awkwardness now significantly reduced, and Marco thought there was no more left to say when Connie clicked his tongue.

"Hey, what do you say to next time we get a few free minutes we spar and find out for sure? That way we wouldn't have to worry about Sash smacking us around."

For the first time in hours, Marco's smile was warm and genuine. "You're on."

Ymir, on the other hand, had received no such apology, but that wasn't a surprise. Frankly, she wasn't really a believer in excuses or apologies, and attempting to do so would only result in more mockery. But, unless it was something truly serious, Ymir didn't hold grudges. Sure, she would remember them but only for the purpose of potential goading or ribbing later down the line, but otherwise, it meant little to her. After all, words were just words to her, and getting upset over them was a waste of her time and energy.

But to her immense frustration, some of Connie's words had stuck with her. Not the insults or the shouting but that simple question of why. Why had Braun pushed her away? Why had he tried to save her?

Surely as a shifter himself, Braun must have known what she was planning to do with the knife. And, while her information might be over half a century out of date, Ymir reckoned he must have been sent to Paradise by Marley or perhaps some other nation to wipe the last 'free' Eldians out. His destruction of Maria was proof enough for her, yet it only made his actions more confusing.

'_Why did he bother trying to help if his goal is to exterminate us?' _Ymir thought, glaring at a passing villager who had stared at them a bit too long. _'Wait, 'us'?' _She took a mental step back, stunned by her own choice of words. _'Since when did I include myself as one of them?'_

A face flashed before her eyes, with eyes of deepest blue and a smile warmer than the height of summer sun, and Ymir knew the truth.

'_Well damn,' _Ymir realised with a wry grin, '_I've been domesticated.'_

All three of them were so caught up with their own internal discussions, that they nearly collided into Sasha and the Springer siblings who had come to a stop in front of a well-kept modest-sized house.

Connie stepped toward the door and called to them over his shoulder. "Hey guys, just let me do the talking_, _alright?" After receiving a mixture of grunts and nods, Connie went to knock but then hesitated, freezing his knuckles about an inch before the wooden door. He turned to face them with an oddly strained expression.

"And, errr, don't tell the others what's about to happen, would ya?"

With his cryptic request issued, Connie took a deep breath and rapped his knuckles against the door.

_***Knock knock* **_

They all heard someone yelping from inside the house as what sounded like a pan dropped to the floor. The metallic clatter was swiftly followed by a faint curse and a female voice shouting for them to wait a minute.

Connie nervously shifted his weight from foot to foot, as the sounds of his mother's footsteps grew louder as she approached the door, and Sunny had to stifle a giggle both from the anticipation of her mother's reaction and at hearing her say a naughty word.

The door was pulled open, revealing a middle-aged woman whose hands and apron was covered in a thin layer of flour. She had some mild wrinkles around her eyes, but no more than would be expected of a mother of three. Still, with the neat formal bun she had tied her hair into, Mrs Sala Springer radiated an image of a dignified older woman who took pride in maintaining a certain standard of poise and elegance, no matter the occasion.

"Hello." She greeted, expecting to see a neighbour or maybe one of Martin's or Sunny's friends, only for her eyes to fly open when she saw who it really was.

"Hi, Mum," Connie answered with an awkward grin. "Surprise!"

"CONNIE!" She cried out, just as gleefully as her daughter had done and pulled her son into a bone-crushing hug. "Oh, my sweet, sweet boy. I've been so worried about you!"

She certainly wasn't lying about that. Ever since Connie's letter had arrived informing them of his decision to join the scouts, she had been beside herself with fear. She just couldn't believe her darling boy had done something so foolish, especially when he told her he had been eligible for the MPs and had decided against it.

And say nothing of when his most recent letter had arrived, telling them he would be going on his first expedition over the Wall. She had cried herself to sleep that night, clutching the letter to her heart, genuinely believing that would be the last thing she ever received from her eldest child.

But now he was here, safe in her arms again.

"Ma, stop it." Connie protested, his face burning bright red as his mother peppered his forehead with kisses. "Honestly, I'm fine. See?"

Sala sniffled and wiped away a stray tear with the back of her hand. "I'm just so happy to see you, sweetie." She broke the hug and held him at arm's length, inspecting his face as if to verify his claim of healthiness. "What are you doing here? Did you get time off after your expedition? I wish you had written beforehand so your father could be here as well."

"Yeeah, something like that," Connie answered evasively, as Ymir let out a blatantly fake cough from behind. "Listen, Ma, there's something we need to talk about. Can we come in for a bit? It's important."

"Oh," The Springer Matriarch looked over at her son's compatriots, noting how they all looked a bit tense. "Of course, come in. I was just preparing some lunch if your friends are hungry?" She asked, waving the teenagers in after her children.

After a brief but touching reunion with his younger brother, Sala had asked Connie what it was that had him, and his friends so worked up as she put the finishing touches on the meal that she had fortunately made too much of for just herself, Martin and Sunny.

"While I'm over the moon to see you and meet your friends, Connie, I'm guessing they all have their own families they'd rather be visiting if you were on leave. What's going on?"

Rather than answer, Connie started to chew his lip and glanced at his siblings out of the corner of his eye. It was a small, subtle movement, but one she was well versed in. Her husband did a similar thing whenever he needed to tell her something he didn't think was appropriate for young ears.

"Sunny darling, could you take Martin to your room for a minute? I need to talk to your brother privately for a bit." Sala could already see the protest forming on her daughter's lips, and decided to nip it in the bud. "If you do it without complaining, I might bake some cookies for the two of you later, okay?"

Sunny pouted, her desire for cookies and curiosity about what it was her brother needed to say warred within her. Eventually, however, the promise of baked treats won out, and she pulled her reluctant baby brother out of the kitchen. "Come on, Marty. I can tell you all about the kitten I'm gonna get."

With the two children gone, Sala faced the teenage soldiers expectantly.

After receiving a few cautionary nods from his friends, Connie opened his mouth and started to explain. "You're right Ma, we're not leaving, we were on a training mission, just a few miles away, to determine which squad we would join. Everything was going fine until... something happened and we had run. And now people are looking for us. Bad people. We came here so we could hide from them for a while and maybe borrow some horses from Mr Apox if he still runs the stable, so we can keep moving and hopefully link up with the rest of our corp."

Sala pursed her lips at her son's 'explanation'. _'Honestly, is 'something' and 'bad people' really the best he can do?'_

"Connie, I'm your mother, not a child, you can tell me the truth. Now, what happened, who's after you and what do they want? I want a real answer this time."

Once again, the teenagers looked at each other, but this time it seemed like the short blond girl sitting at her kitchen table received most of the attention.

She was a beautiful girl, even with those sad, downcast eyes, and Sala briefly wondered if this was the Sasha girl Connie spent so much of his letters talking about. He could do much worse if that was the case.

"It was the MPs, Ma. Or at least people dressed like them." Connie answered quietly, folding to his mother's demand for clarity. "They attacked the older scouts looking after us and wanted to take Kr-_Historia_ away. Someone we knew... scared them off, and the five of us ran here."

'_So not Sasha then.' _Sala corrected, only marginally disappointed, and regarding the blond girl again with a more attentive eye. _'What do the MPs want with a young girl like her? She can't be older than what, 14, 15? And what was that hesitation about her name? Well, I guess there is only one way to find out.'_

"So, Historia, why are the MPs after you? I am going to assume you are innocent of whatever they accused you of, seeing as you have entangled my son in this mess. Otherwise…"

She let the remark hang, keeping her steely gaze firmly fixed on the girl in question.

Out the corner of her eye, Sala could see her son's face redden and his starting mouth opening, ready to speak on the blond's behalf. She raised a hand to cut him off, wanting to hear it from her and her alone.

Historia looked up at Connie's mother, and their eyes met. She was usually quite good at reading people, a skill she had picked up as Queen, but Mrs Springer's expression was totally unreadable, a stoic mask which displayed no emotion. But Historia could guess that she wasn't happy about Connie being caught up in her issues, and on that account, they were in agreement.

She could see the rest of her friends staring as well, all of them waiting for an answer. Only Ymir wasn't, and instead offered her hand under the table for her to hold. Historia gladly reached for it, lacing her fingers with Ymir's as she broke eye contact with Connie's mother and for the second time in her life, she told her friends about her past.

"My name is Historia Reiss, and I am the illegitimate daughter of a powerful nobleman called Rod Reiss and his servant maid. I was kept well away from the public eye to avoid a scandal and lived on a farm owned by him until I was ten years old. I never saw him, but he did summon my mother to go visit him… The first time I ever met my father was on the day Wall Maria fell; he introduced himself to me and told me to follow him outside, saying he was going to take my mother and me somewhere else." Historia took a sip of water to combat her dry throat.

"He was lying. I followed him outside, and we were quickly surrounded by MPs. He said nothing as they slit my mother's throat in front of me and only spoke up when they turned on me. He told them I was to be sent to the military to get rid of me."

Marco gasped, Connie baulked, Sasha looked horrified, and Ymir squeezed her hand. Mrs Springer's mask momentarily cracked, as her eyes grew large and her lips parted in shock. Such a thing was almost incomprehensible to the mother of three. How can anyone do that to a child, let alone their own child? What sort of monster was this Lord Reiss?

Historia continued, wanting to get this over with quickly, knowing she would still have to lie to her friends. She had to think of another way to explain her father's influence without telling them he was the true King because if Commander Erwin finds out, he might try and force her into becoming the Queen again. And she refused to go through that again.

"I spent a few years with the Wall cult until I reached enlistment age, when they gave me a fake name, 'Krista Lenz', and told me if I told anyone my real name there would be consequences. I don't know why my father sent the MPs to find me after all this time, but I do know he's an influential man within the Government and the Wall cult."

She looked around the table with a weak smile. "That's why I had to lie to you all. I didn't want my father to hurt you as well. I'm sorry."

'_I guess Armin was right, the best and easiest lies are those wrapped in truths.' _

Historia braced herself for the barrage of questions and tried to answer each question as honestly as possible. She could see Ymir looking at her strangely out the corner of her eye, and could practically see the question in her eye about how much of it was true.

She had already resolved to tell Ymir the actual truth about her father and tried to express that in her eyes, silently pleading with her to be patient and promising she would tell her once they were alone.

Mrs Springer eventually rose to her feet, noticeable paler than before. "I am so sorry for what you had to go through, Historia. No one should have to experience those things. You are more than welcome to stay here as long as you need, and I'll ask around the village for any supplies you kids may need. You'll be safe here, I promise."

'_You can't promise that.' _Historia thought even as she opened her mouth to thank the woman. "Thank you, Mrs Springer, and I'm sorry for dragging your family into this."

"Don't mention it dear, a friend of Connie's is a friend of Ragako. And Ragako looks after its own."

* * *

**Hopefully, you all enjoyed this chapter, and don't think the characters were too OOC in their reactions to Reiner's betrayal (I feel that I made them all a bit more emotive than canon as they are all younger and not as hardened as they were during the canon reveal)**

**And as last chapter got the most reviews yet I decided to make the effort to reply to you all:**

_Traitor of All Traitors - Don't worry my friend, that was just a joke. Ships will remain AM and HY._

_Miqila - You raise very good points, and I will try harder for next time :D. I'm glad you still found it funny even if it didn't fool you as planned!_

_Isil'zha BLZ - Mission accomplished then lol, hopefully, this chapter makes us for it!_

_Heir-to-Sunspear-23 - Haha, sorry for being so cruel but I promised a friend last year I would do an April fools chapter after I forgot to do it, and I try to be a man of my word lol._

_Thunderstrike16 - Yeah, a fair chunk of the Eren and Petra bit (obvs not the sex stuff, but the teasing and storytelling) came from discarded chunks of chapter 19 which I had written then realised they didn't quite fit with the dark hopelessness of that chapter. As for their relationship going forward even, I'm not sure tbh. When I decided to save Petra, I planned for her become the maternal figure to Levi's paternal one for the 104th kids, but now I'm not too sure as she's only really spent time with Eren._

_I guess I will leave it partially up to the readers and to how the story develops to decide what sort of relationship the two will have by the end, but either way they are going to be close._

_Guest - Thanks, glad you like it! As for future Eren I don't see him coming back like AM and H, as I would be too tempted to make AM take turns kicking him in the nuts, but there is a good chance of a message or some memories coming through (Rod already unlocked some of Grisha's memories for Eren to see such as the blimp and with the attack titans future sight ability... well lets just say Eren might see things he doesn't expect.)_

_Popular Revolt - That chapter was fueled by excessive quantities of tea, acute cabin fever and inspired by the few joking comments made on the Arumika Discord. All of those things gave birth to that chaotic mess lol. I'm glad you enjoyed it, and you are very right, the world needs amusement and harmless absurdity more than ever._


	27. Questions and Answers Part 2

**Hey all, hope you are well!**

**Now for reasons unknown to me, this chapter has somehow become my largest one yet. Nearly 12k words, which just surpasses chapter 19 by a few hundred words, and yet unlike the Ripper and Shadow King, this chapter feels like not much really happens *shrug*.**

**Hopefully, you enjoy this chapter as I continue to explore the consequences of AMs actions and bring back some old faces...**

* * *

Hermina District - Wall Sina

Minutes after Eren and Petra's kidnapping

"Levi, sit still, I need to get that fragment out." Erwin placed a firm hand on Levi's shoulder, trying to steady the man. His knife was sunken half an inch deep in Levi's other shoulder, trying to pry out a small metal shard that had struck him.

Mercifully, apart from a few minor cuts and bruises, that was the most significant injury either of them had received during the ambush, but certainly not from a lack of trying from their assailants.

"Forget that, Erwin. He's taken Petra and Eren. We need to go after them. Now." Levi grunted out through gritted teeth. Erwin had practically ordered him to remove his jacket and shirt when he saw the growing stain of blood, but despite his protests, Erwin had stood firm.

"Kenny is one of the most dangerous men alive. He's a vicious psychopath, who kills and tortures for fun." Levi tried again, grabbing Erwin's knife-hand. "Damnit Erwin, listen to me!"

"I am listening, Levi, and I believe you, but you're not thinking clearly." Ignoring the scathing look he received, Erwin shook off Levi's hand and was finally able to dig out the fragment. Levi grunted in pain as Erwin tossed the bloody shard aside and started bandaging the wound. He had plenty of experience dressing wounds during his service, but a bullet wound was a new one for him.

"It's just the two of us right now, against at least two dozen skilled and well-equipped opponents, and we have no idea what their intentions are or where they're heading. That's not a battle we can win."

Erwin could feel how tense Levi was as he wrapped the bandages around his shoulder. The muscles in his upper back and neck were pulled taut, like a wild animal trying to break free of its restraints so it could tear its foe apart.

Whoever this Kenny was, his mere presence had enraged the Captain to such an extent that Erwin could only recall one other time he had seen Levi this furious.

The five-year-old scar on his right hand tingled at the memory.

"Levi, we will get Eren and Petra back, but we'll need to regroup with the corp and come up with a plan. And that means we need to deal with the Armoured Titan first." Erwin promised as he finished tying off the bandage and carefully inspected his field dressing. He'd be damned if he lost his best soldier to an infected wound.

"How?" Levi demanded to know. "How are we supposed to beat that bastard without Yeager?"

Erwin rose to his feet, offering a hand to help the Captain up. "I'm not a cripple," Levi grumbled, lightly slapping the hand away as he stood under his own strength.

Erwin relented with a mental shrug and allowed his hand to drop to his side. Levi could be stubborn at the best of times, and it only got worse when he felt he was being coddled. He probably would have tried to stand on his own even if he had a pair of broken legs rather than accepting any more help.

"It's not invulnerable, Levi," Erwin informed the man, taking a momentary pause as he carefully considered his next words. "As Petra reported, your team managed to slow the shifter down and cripple some of their limbs by attacking the exposed areas between the plating."

Of course, what happened after that short-lived success hung over the two men like a storm cloud, and while it was left unsaid, the implication was enough to cause Levi to tense up.

His squad may have found a weakness, but it hadn't saved them once the shifter sped up its own healing cycling. And now Erwin was building a plan based off a strategy that had cost Eld, Gunther and Olou their lives, but he pushed on nonetheless. Better a flawed strategy than no strategy at all.

"With the whole corp in support, and you leading the attack, we can cripple its ability to move, and then use the restraining cannons to pin it in place. Without any momentum behind them, the shifter won't be able to break free like before, and from the tests we've done with Eren, we know a shifter can't remain in their Titan indefinitely. We can wait them out."

The tension in Levi's shoulders didn't dissipate as he grunted, not even trying to hide how unimpressed he was at that plan, and frankly, Erwin couldn't blame him. Even he wasn't exactly confident in it, knowing there were countless factors beyond their control, any of which could lead to disaster. Would they be able to gather the corp and cannons in time? How many lives would be lost trying to cripple it? Would Levi even be able to do it?

Neither of them was strangers to dangerous gambles, but Erwin had always tried to stack the deck in their favour. This time, however, they would be going in almost completely blind.

"Tsk. That's a shitty plan, Erwin. Even by your standards." Levi disparaged, grimly buttoning up his bloody shirt and tugging the 3DM straps back on.

With a simple nod, Erwin showed his agreement with Levi's assessment, "I know, but it's the best plan we have with the time, information and resources available to us."

As Erwin turned to face Hermina's outer gate, he inspected the path of devastation left behind by the ambush with a critical eye. Their escorting garrison squad had been wiped out, taken totally by surprise and having no experience in fighting other people, they were easy pickings, shot down one by one without mercy.

Their attackers had not gotten off lightly for their butchery, with the one-man army that was an enraged Captain Levi, leaving nearly a dozen bodies (and a few limbs) littered all over the district. They may have had an advantage at range, but as soon as Levi closed that gap, they quickly discovered that their strange armour did little to protect them.

But despite the gears' inability to block swords strikes, Erwin was very tempted to strip the equipment from one the corpses to get a closer look. From the precious few seconds Erwin had to observe it clearly (when he wasn't focusing on his own survival during the brutal, blindingly fast battle through the city), he could see it was unique. It was clearly based on standard 3DM gear, but more robust and compact, lacking the hip-mounted blade containers and gas canisters that stuck out like a sore thumb.

Instead, a single large capacity gas canister was mounted on the upper back, allowing the cables to travel under the user's arms so the anchors could be fired from those dual purpose hand cannons. It gave the user a great deal of manoeuvrability and directional awareness, even if it did briefly lock them into their swing.

While his brilliant mind was already picking up on additional faults and limitations to gear, namely its complete lack of anti-titan capabilities and its two-shot capacity before a reload was needed, Erwin could see the potential of such advanced technology if it could be integrated into their own gear.

But even as he started to silently redesign his soldier's gear, Erwin found the question of how these people had acquired such technology was burning in his mind. To have developed such weapons and train some many people to use them must have required extensive connections, both in the arms industry and the military itself, and the costs involved must have been astronomical.

There were very few individuals or organisations with those sorts of resources, and they would almost certainly be being watched by the government. There is no way they would have been able to raise this private army without being noticed.

Pressure built up behind his eyes and Erwin had to stop himself from rubbing them. There was only one organisation that could achieve this feat, only one which had the resources and foreknowledge of Eren's location.

Erwin had no love of the government, and part of him wouldn't be surprised if they had designed weapons purely to combat other 3DM users, but for them to make a move against Eren now when the fate of Humanity hung in the balance? It was utter madness.

Could they really be that rash and short-sighted?

In truth, he already knew the answer to that question. He had known it for years. But to see it confirmed so brazenly with his own eyes was something Erwin just hadn't been prepared for. So brazen, in fact, that this attack had achieved something that many people considered impossible.

It had shaken Erwin Smith to his core.

It wasn't the multitude of near-death experiences from the ambush that had shaken him. It wasn't the faces of the two men he had killed, locked forevermore in a twisted mix of pain and fear as he drove his blades through them. Nor was it the sight of Schmidt's head being blown apart, splattering him in blood and viscera.

No, Erwin Smith had not been shaken by the spectre of death, for he had long since come to terms with his own and other's mortality, but by the fact he had been caught entirely by surprise.

He had planned for his colleagues calling for Eren's head after the failed expedition. He had prepared for some lone wolf attack during the journey to the Capital by some misguided civilian or a disillusioned soldier. He had even planned for the possibility of the Armoured Titan coming after them directly, in another attempt to capture Eren. That's why he had himself, Petra and Levi gear up before leaving; with two of the corps best, himself and Eren fighting side by side, Erwin believed they could have beaten it.

But an ambush by a clandestine government force whose equipment and gear far surpassed their own, and being led by a man who had some previous unknown connection to Levi, attacking them in the middle of an emergency situation had blindsided him.

And now he had been left in an impossible situation of having to face the Armoured Titan without their most powerful asset, and perhaps the only one who could decisively defeat it.

'_No... not the only one.'_ Erwin slowly corrected himself, as the wheels in his brilliant mind started to turn.

There was one other who could do it. Their identity, allegiance and purpose were all unknown, and they had potentially been hiding in his corp for years, not once lifting a finger to help Humanity before.

But when the Armoured Titan attacked them directly, tearing through their formation like tissue paper, the Female Titan had chosen to reveal herself. Whatever her true intentions or reasoning may have been, it was clear they shared a common enemy in the Armoured Titan. So maybe, just maybe, she'd be willing to help them again. But first, he'd have to find the shifter.

'_If I have to I'll gather up the entire corp, fall on my knees and beg her to help us.' _Erwin swore to himself, feeling the burning weight of Eren's basement key in his breast pocket hardening his resolve. He had been planning on returning the key to the young shifter today and was relieved beyond words he hadn't already done so. It was one of the few silver linings in this debacle of a day.

'_I won't let my pride get in the way, not when the truth is so close...'_

The truth about the Titans and his father's theory. It was there, inside Eren's basement.

All Erwin had to do was reach it. And if he needed the Female Titan to beat the Armoured, then he would beg like no man had ever begged before.

'_I WILL reach that basement… I swear to you, father.'_

"We must move quickly, Levi," Erwin called to his Captain, turning to face him as he did so. "We've already lost too much time here."

Levi made no indication he was willing to move and turned his murderous expression against Erwin. "So, you're really going to leave Eren and Petra behind? After what I told you about Kenny." With his open challenge, Levi had thrown down the gauntlet.

Without pause, Erwin answered the challenge with brutal honesty. "Yes. For now, that is what we must do."

Before Levi could even begin his furious response, Erwin cut him off at the knees. "We all took an oath, Levi. Me, you, Eren and Petra, all of us. We swore to do everything in our power to protect Humanity, no matter the cost. And that _must_ come first, even if it means leaving two of our own behind. They would understand."

There was a long pregnant pause, as Levi's jaw snapped shut with an audible click. Anger radiated from his tense form like a physical presence, buffeting against Erwin like a howling wind. "Is that an order, _Commander_?" He eventually ground out between clenched teeth.

Erwin almost winced. It had been a long time since Levi had spoken to him like that, but he understood why. He had just told the Captain that he intended to leave the two surviving members of his squad in the clutches of an apparent psychopath, and was asking him to do the same.

He had asked a lot of Levi since they had become acquainted, but this? This was something else entirely.

The two men held each other's gaze unblinkingly, waiting to see if the other would buckle first. They both knew that Levi would not willingly abandon his squad, especially after what happened to the others only days prior. Still, Erwin also knew that Levi wouldn't disobey a direct order. He was too good of a soldier to do that.

Ultimately, that left Erwin in the unenviable position of removing the illusion of choice from his subordinate. As his lips parted to break the silence, Erwin had a fleeting moment of curiosity as to whether or not Levi would strike him for what he was about to say. He wouldn't blame him if he did.

"Yes, Captain," His voice was hard and unwavering. Spoken with the finality of a man who had sent countless comrades to their deaths, all for the greater good of Humanity. This was the voice of the cold and calculating Commander of the Survey Corps, and it booked no further room for argument. "Consider it an order."

The blow he received was not a physical one as he half expected, but a verbal one. It was something he had heard countless times before, in more variations than he could count. Usually, such words simply washed over him like water over rocks, but the way Levi said it, with contempt and disdain dripping from every syllable, hurt Erwin more than any punch.

Perhaps it hurt so much because he knew it was absolutely true.

"You're a cold bastard, Erwin." Levi spat, his face twisting into a livid scowl as he shoved past the silent Commander and stomped off towards the horses, each step taking him further away from the two people he was supposed to protect.

* * *

The wagon shook violently as it thundered over the uneven cobbled road out of the city, carrying it two drugged and hogtied prizes away.

Kenny could hear his underlings behind him celebrating the successful capture, and taking turns humiliating the unconscious scouts in a number of petty ways; spitting at them, pulling their hair, resting their feet on them. They seemed awfully pleased of themselves for catching the Titan boy and his pretty bodyguard.

Idiots, all of them. Total fucking idiots. They had NO reason to be celebrating, and Kenny would remind them of their incompetence once they returned to their base.

They had outnumbered the scouts nearly seven to one, (Kenny didn't even bother including the Garrison in those odds. An infant with a spoon was more of a threat than they were.) and had caught them in an ambush where they should have had every advantage they needed.

Yet, despite all of that, they had still lost eleven of their own number, all to his child-sized nephew.

He would have to remind them what the punishment for incompetence was in his squad. Even if the little brat was an Ackerman, Kenny took the pisspoor performance from his team as a personal insult. Had they learnt nothing from his training? How many more examples does he have to make out of incompetent fucks-up to finally drive his lessons through their thick fucking skulls?

Only Caven had picked up on his quiet displeasure and had wisely avoided the 'celebrations' by sitting next to the driver and navigating the wagon to the rendezvous point, where the other team, if they've done their damn job, should already be waiting with little Historia in tow.

With his head full of creative ways to deal withhis squad's incompetence and his gaze still firmly fixed on Hermina's shrinking inner-gate, Kenny allowed his lips to curl up into what some might generously call a smile. At the very least it looked like that midget hadn't forgotten what he had taught him, and that pleased him greatly.

'_Be seeing you, Levi.'_ Kenny silently vowed, leaning back against the wagon's side with a smirk.

This was going to be fun.

* * *

Grounds of the Scout Ranch - Wall Rose Territory

Sometime Later

The grounds of the ranch were unrecognisable.

Dozens of vast Titan-sized footprints had been stomped into the ground, crisscrossing each other in a baffling nonsensical pattern. From above it would have looked like footwork of a stumbling drunkard, who had been thrown out of a closing tavern.

At the epicentre of cratered ground, where the proud ranch had once stood, now lay a ruin wreathed in flames, its crushed timbers walls and thatched straw roof providing the perfect fuel needed to sustain such a scorching inferno. Such was the size and intensity of the blaze that all man could do was sit by and wait for it to burn itself out, for trying to fight such a fire would be a folly of the highest order.

Towering columns of ash choked smoke rose high into the sky, like a vast shadowy scar painted into the air. It could be seen for miles around and had guided the two stony-faced scouts towards the chaos.

They had spotted it almost as soon as they left Hermina, and both of them had expected the worst. But the sheer devastation they found had been beyond anything they could have imagined.

"What the hell happened here?" Levi wondered aloud, the first thing had said since leaving the city. Erwin found himself thinking much the same as they cautiously approached, already feeling the heat of fire prickling at their skin.

As they drew closer, Erwin finally spotted the one thing that had been missing from the ravaged landscape. Something he had been expecting and dreading in equal measure. The bodies.

He could see several, carefully laid out at the edge of the forest, away from the burning ruin and the torn-up earth. Most had been covered in plain white sheets which had already turned that reddish-brown colour of dried blood, except for one which had been set slightly apart from the others.

Kneeling beside this notable smaller body was a young female soldier who was in the process of placing her cloak, emblazoned with the Garrison Rose, over the fallen soldier's face and torso. She gently laid a hand on top of the unmoving chest, lightly curling her fingers in the green fabric as she spoke a few quiet words. Her downcast face was obscured by dark hair, tied into two long pigtails which reached down to her quaking shoulders.

But while her face may have been hidden from his gaze, nothing could hide the tears that dripped down onto her trembling hand.

As they quietly dismounted their horses and approached the girl, they heard her choking back tears as she whispered a name.

Erwin just made it out and felt a wave of resignation pass through him. The body belonged to one of his 104th recruits, and one of the youngest if he remembered the boy's file correctly. Still closer to fourteen than fifteen when he graduated, the lad had only just started his teenage years, and now he was dead.

Erwin issued a silent apology as he mentally penned out the letter he would have to send to the boy's parents.

He doubted it would be the only letter he'd need to write by the end of this day.

Removing her shaking hand from the body, the girl wiped her wet eyes and said a final goodbye to the painfully young scout. Unsteadily rising to her feet, the young soldier looked up and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw the Commander of the Survey corp and Humanity's strongest standing in front of her.

"C-c-commander!" She stammered, her puffy red eyes going wide. As the immediate shock wore off, she went ramrod straight and hastily slammed her fist against her chest in a salute.

"At ease, soldier," Erwin called, bringing up his hand in what he hoped was a reassuring gesture. Now much closer to her, and without the hair hiding her face, it became clear to Erwin just how young she was.

'_Another 104th graduate.'_ Was his natural conclusion to the sight of such a full and youthful face, that was currently dealing with a light breakout of acne. But it was her eyes that truly told him she was one of the 104th. They were the eyes of a much older person, sunken and hollow, filled with grief and pain from the horrors she must have witnessed at Trost. Almost all of his recruits had those eyes.

For a brief moment, Erwin wondered when Humanity had decided it was okay with sending children to fight their battles for them, but he quickly pushed that moral and ethical quandary aside. Now was not the time to develop a consciousness about these things.

"We received word that the Armoured Titan had been spotted in this direction. I need a report. Who's in command here, private…?" He prompted, knowing time was of the essence and painfully aware that the Titan was nowhere to be seen.

"Private Mina Caroline of the 17th Southern Engineering Squad, Sir." The Garrison trooper allowed her salute to drop but continued to stand bolt upright, visibly nervous in the presence of two almost legendary figures. "Captain Hannes is in command, sir, he's tending to the wounded. I-I can take you to him if you'd like?"

"Thank you, Mina, that would be appreciated."

With a final sombre glance at the shrouded boy, Mina nodded and led the two men away.

As they carefully circled around the ranch, giving a wide berth from the roaring flames, Erwin, out of a sense of responsibility for the fallen, found himself compelled to speak. "Did you know him well?" He asked, having to speak up to be heard over the fire.

The question caused Mina to miss a step as she tensed up. For a few moments, she stood still and silent before her shoulders dropped.

"No, sir," Mina replied in the quietest of voices. "Not as well as I should have. But there's so few of us left now after what happened…" With every word her voice grew fainter until she simply trailed off and turned her head away from the imposing Commander and resumed her trek.

She didn't want the Commander to see her cry. Not again.

Seeing this reaction, Erwin recognised, somewhat belatedly, that it may have been better to keep his mouth shut, rather than needlessly dragging up what must have been some painful memories for Mina. He could practically hear Levi rolling his eyes at his faux pas.

The rest of the brief walk was completed in awkward silence with Mina marching over to several wagons which had been tied up by the outer fence which had once defined the boundaries of the ranch. A dozen men and women of the Garrison were weaving around, carrying bandages and water to tend to the wounded scouts loaded up onto the wagons.

"Captain." There was an audible tightness to Mina's voice as she called towards a tall, well-built man who was in the middle of wrapping bandages around an unconscious Nanaba's head. Despite hearing the call, the man didn't turn about.

"Mina? Ah, good timing. We're running low on bandages, and I reckon we need at least a few more rolls to finish patching this lot up, especially if more of your friends come out of the woods. Could you search through the supply packs and see if you can find any or something else we could use?"

"Aye, Captain," Mina nervously looked between her Captain's unturned back and the awaiting Commander, feeling trapped between two different authorities. "But, _err_, Commander Erwin needs to speak with you."

That was enough to make the Captain turn about. While he was just as surprised as his young recruit was to see a division Commander and _the_ Captain Levi staring at him expectantly, his reaction was more restrained. His golden eyes widened, then blinked twice as he brought up his free hand and placed it over the centre of his chest in a half fist, all the while holding onto the untightened bandage with his other.

Had he offered such a bastardised version of mankind's salute during bootcamp or inspection we would have likely spent the next several minutes being loudly and publicly chewed out, but Erwin cared infinitely more about one of his soldiers being tended to than getting a proper salute.

The Garrison Captain's pencil moustache twitched as he opened his mouth to speak, "One moment, Commander." Quickly waving Mina off towards the supply wagon, Hannes turned his head and called over another one of his soldiers. "Hey Phil, take over here for me." He commanded, handing over the bandages, before turning back to face the two scouts.

"Captain Hannes," Erwin addressed the man. "I need a report. What happened here and where's the Armoured Titan?"

"Of course, Commander." To Levi's distaste, Hannes rubbed his hand on his trouser legs as he answered, wiping off the smears of blood from his palms.

"Unfortunately I can't really answer the first question, as it was like this when we arrived. I tried to ask one of the kids." Hannes jabbed a thumb over his shoulder toward a gaggle of shaken recruits huddling together just out of earshot. "But from their answers, I think most of them are still in shock."

'_Yes, I'm not surprised. Seeing one of their 'friends' turn into the Armoured Titan must have been fairly shocking.' _Erwin agreed, sparing the recruits a quick glance. There were less than he had hoped for, but more than he had feared. And the Captain did say some of the recruits were still hiding out in the woods.

He hoped the woods is where most of them were, rather than getting caught in that firestorm.

"As for the Armoured Titan, well that's a bit of a strange story." Hannes cocked his head toward Wall Rose, looming in the distance. "My Squad and I were on top of the Wall, when whatever it was that happened, happened. Just a standard patrol, inspecting the tracks and lifts, and checking the Wall for cracks. The basics really, to help break in our new recruit."

"We had stopped to replace a few sections of track which had started to rust, and about halfway through the job, we heard this almighty crack and saw this orange lightning several miles inside Wall Rose."

"I…" Hannes stopped, his expression changing from a tight, tired smile into an open grimace, as he recalled a day he'd rather forget. Quietly, in a voice that seemed a decade older, he resumed his tale.

"Before I was assigned to Trost, I was based in Shiganshina, in one of the guard squads." A derisive snort escaped his nose. "Pride of the Garrison we were… Just a bunch of drunken layabouts, believing we had found the easy life."

With a shake of his head, Hannes sighed as he pushed those memories of a simpler time. "I was there on that day. I saw the Colossal and watched it break the gate, but more importantly, I saw that exact same kind of lightning strike hit just before it appeared."

"I heard the same thing happen at Trost, and Mina was on top of the gate when it actually happened, practically came face to face with it, so we both knew what that lightning meant… or thought it meant."

"The Colossal." Erwin provided, knowing the Captain was wrong but understanding how he had reached that conclusion. And it reminded him to talk to Hanji about those lightning strikes; perhaps there was a way to identify what Titan they would be facing based on the size of the strike. A great many lives could be saved in the future if they knew which enemy they were going to face.

Hannes nodded, thinking of the giant skinless face. "Aye. I thought it had somehow gotten into Rose and was attacking one the districts from behind, but as we looked towards the strike, we couldn't see anything. Even with the distance between us, we should have been able to see it, especially with how bloody tall that thing is."

Again, another understandable mistake. Upclose the Armoured Titan might seem larger than life itself, but from miles away, on top of a 50m wall, even a 15m Titan would have been near impossible to see. Especially if you're expecting to see the Colossal.

"I'll be the first to admit that I was... _indecisive_ in deciding what to do, as we weren't properly outfitted for a full combat mission, but in the end, I made the decision to investigate the strike. I sent two of my people to Trost and Krolva to raise the alarm, and the rest of us mounted up, and started making our way here."

Erwin felt his respect for this man growing. Even after Pixis's shake-up following the fall, the quality of officers within the Garrison could range wildly from corrupt, complacent cowards, to men and women whose bravery and dedication to Humanity matched some of his best.

This Captain, who was brave enough to admit his own hesitation and indecisiveness to a senior officer, still rode to fulfil his duty of facing down what he suspected at the time to be the Colossal Titan, one of the deadliest foe humanity has ever encountered.

'_He could have made a good scout.'_

Unaware of Erwin's inner thoughts, Hannes continued on, none the wiser to the silent praise he had received. "After what must have been 10 minutes of hard riding, we heard this God awful noise getting closer and closer, like some horrible mix of a screaming baby and a howling animal. It was spooking the horses, and us to be perfectly honest, so we pulled off the path so we could prepare for what was coming."

Hannes shivered. "Got out the way just in time, as a few seconds later that big Armoured bastard came barrelling out of the woods towards us."

"It charged you?" Levi interrupted, his lips curling in disgust at the thought of the shifter killing more people. "How'd you fight that piece of shit off?"

A sense of bitter resentment started to rise within the diminutive Captain. How had this random garrison squad, led by a self-proclaimed ex-drunken layabout, managed to survive the Armoured Titan attacking them while his own squad, made up of some of the finest Titan slayers in history that he had trained personally for years, had been massacred?

What kind of sick twist of fate was that?

"We didn't," Hannes answered with a shrug, "We never got the chance to. The Titan just ran straight past us, like we weren't even there. Someone must have fought it though since half its face was missing. Didn't stop it screaming bloody murder the whole time though, even without its jaw."

"I see," Erwin said quietly, not really seeing but still taking in the information with gusto. "So it took no hostile action against your squad? Is it possible it didn't see you?"

Hannes rubbed his chin and furrowed his brow. "Unless you count scaring us and our horse half to death, then no, it just ran on by. And we were pretty exposed on the side of the road. I mean, it's possible the Titan didn't see us, but that seems unlikely."

Erwin's expression didn't change, but internally he was left frowning and more than a little mystified. So far, Hannes' report had been equal parts confusing and intriguing, and it had left him with far more questions than answers, especially this newest development.

After carving a bloody swath through their formation to reach Eren, it seems strange that the shifter would leave the Garrison squad unmolested. But then again, the shifter would have spent enough time in the military to know that outside a handful of men and women most of the Garrison lacks the experience or combat skills required to be a legitimate threat to them.

This selective pacifism appeared to be a dismissal of the Garrison rather than an unwillingness to fight.

"Indeed…" With a quiet murmur Erwin prompting Hannes to continue. "Something else must have had its attention. Where was it heading?"

The answer he received was the stuff of his worst nightmares. One of the few things that truly scared Erwin Smith, and could cause him to wake up in the dead of night in a cold sweat.

"It was heading to the Wall," Hannes answered gruffly, and in an instant, Erwin's head was filled with memories of the fall.

Filled with the memories of his first day as Commander; the confusion, the fear, the panic.

Hastily assembled defensive points which were swept aside by swarms of Titans in their hundreds with sickening ease.

Countless delaying actions fought all over the southern territories, as his corp and the broken remnants of the Marian garrison desperately tried to hold back the Titans long enough for the terrified civilians to escape. Hundreds of casualties and countless civilian deaths later, they had been forced to disengage and retreat back to Rose along with the rest of Humanity, no longer able to hold back the numberless hordes spilling from the shattered Shiganshina gates.

And then, as Wall Rose was sealed shut and the initial shock wore off, the human element to the disaster started in earnest.

The refugee crisis, famine, diseases, overpopulation, riots, looting, killings. A spiralling maelstrom of chaos which threatened to bring about the total collapse of human civilisation, until, on perhaps the darkest day in mankind's history a decision was made, and the most drastic step imaginable for Humanity's survival was taken.

The government ordered a cull, and called it an operation.

250,000 people, a fifth of Humanity, were sent out to reclaim Maria, most armed with little more than pitchforks and kitchen knives.

Less than 200 people made it back alive.

It was a massacre of unparalleled proportion, but it allowed Humanity to claw its way back from the brink, if only just. Food shortages and rationing were still rife, and tension between the surviving Marians and Rosians still ran high in the impoverished and overpopulated Districts, as mankind struggled to sustain itself from the limited arable land left within Rose and Sina.

All of that from just one Wall falling… A second one would likely be enough to finish them off for good.

Blinking hard, Erwin forced himself to remain calm. He hadn't got to his position by losing his cool at the mere possibility of a breach.

"Is the Wall secured?" Erwin asked, already running through the breach contingency plan in his head. It basically called for the corp to charge straight to the breach and hold it for a long as possible to buy time for the evacuations. It did, however, grant him the authority to requisition whole battalions of the Garrison to assist in this 'defence', and with his own division scattered across Rose, he might have to make that last stance with Pixis's soldiers instead of his own.

However, Erwin's planning came to a screeching halt when Hannes's face split into a toothy grin, and he let out a small laugh.

Levi looked less than impressed, and his eyes narrowed dangerously at the chuckling Captain. "Something funny?" He snapped, instantly wiping the grin from Hannes's face.

Chastened, and more than a little intimidated by Levi's glare, Hannes quickly apologised, sheepishly rubbing his arm. "Sorry… and yes, the Wall is secure. Rose is a tough old girl, and she didn't let us down."

As Levi grumbled something under his breath about drunkards, Erwin permitted himself to relax just a fraction. If the Wall was still standing then Humanity got to live another day.

"So, what happened?" He asked, curious as to how a single Garrison squad had managed to defend the Wall from the Armoured Titan.

"Well once we regained our bearings, I ordered a pursuit. Wasn't very successful though, as our horses aren't bred for speed, and bravery like yours are, so we quickly fell behind. I honestly thought it was all over for us as it approached the Wall and crashed into it."

Despite the presence of the no-nonsense Commander and his infamous Captain standing right in front of him, Hannes struggled to keep the grin from sneaking back onto his face. What other reaction could you give after seeing one of mankind's worst enemies charging headfirst into the Wall only to smash clean off it and land sprawled out in the dirt?

"That ugly bastard found out the hard way that the Wall is a lot tougher than the gates. It barely left a mark, but Rose sure as hell left a mark on it. Practically pulped what remained of his head."

Erwin's eyes grew large, the first real crack in his mask since the start of this whirlwind report. That was… unexpected.

"Is it dead?" he cautiously ventured, almost daring to hope. They may have been ordered to attempt a capture, but at this point with Eren lost to them, the shifter killing themself would be a more than acceptable outcome.

The frown that appeared on Hannes's face quickly extinguishing Erwin's brief flicker of hope. He shouldn't have been surprised really, their luck had already been terrible today, why would it improve now?

"For a little while, I thought so. It was just lying there on the ground, dead silent and unmoving. We started getting closer to it, to see if it really was dead when it sat back up."

"I thought it was gonna start screaming or running again when it got back on its feet, but it stared at the top of the Wall for a moment, even with most of its head caved in. Then it just walked up to the Wall, calm as you'd like, and started to climb up the bloody thing." Hannes explained with a shake of his head.

"Does the bastard think it's a spider or something?" Levi sneered, mainly to himself but loud enough for the two other men to hear. Something wasn't right here, and Levi could feel a sense of unease growing within him, but regardless, if the shifter wanted to behave like some filthy insect that was fine by him.

He'd crush them like one.

"Yeah… summin' like that." Hannes answered, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck as he tried, and failed, to banish the image of a 15m tall armoured plated spider from his mind. "Anyway, by the time we got into attack range, it had already reached the top of the Wall, and after a really long roar, it just jumped off the other side into Maria. It tore apart a few 10-metre class Titans near the foot of the Wall which got in its way before it just legged it straight south. That was the last we saw of it."

He may not have shown it, but Erwin was left reeling by this, almost overwhelmed by the twin contrasting emotions of dread and relief.

Relief that the Titan was gone, and dread that it was now roaming free within Maria.

None of this was making any sense. Why would the shifter reveal themselves, only to flee over the Wall? They had had the perfect opportunity to attack one of the Rose districts from behind, where defences are practically non-existent. They could have crippled Humanity and doomed it to extinction in a single stroke. Why would they waste it?

Was it possible that the shifter had somehow discovered his original plan to capture them and decided to flee before Eren could arrive?

An icy chill crawled up Erwin's spine. _'Screaming… He said the shifter was screaming.'_

Was the shifter calling for someone, the Colossal perhaps, to warn them their identity had been compromised? Or were they screaming for another reason, a more primal reason?

Were they… _afraid_ of something?

_'If that was the case, what could have possibly scared them so much? Surely not Eren or Levi since they had no issue going after them during the expedition. The Female Titan perhaps? Possibly, but even then their fight didn't seem one-sided enough to cause that level of fear...' _

Truthfully Erwin was at a loss. He had no idea what could have scared the shifter so much that they had quite literally run away screaming.

But whatever it was, it must have been something truly terrifying, and Erwin wanted nothing more than to find it and use it for Humanity's benefit.

'_Or try and make a deal with it. After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.'_

While Erwin's reaction had been one of reserved reflection, as he set about disseminating the new information, as to try and gleem an understanding from the shifters bizarre actions, Levi's reaction was the polar opposite as his growing suspicion was confirmed.

"It ran away?!" The growl that escaped Levi's mouth sounded like it should have come from a wild animal rather than the pride of the scouts. Deep and rumbling, the savage growl caused the hair of everyone who heard it to stand on end.

He shot Erwin a dark look, as what little of his anger had cooled since being forced to leave Petra and Eren behind returned in full force. They had come all this way, away from Kenny and his squad, for nothing. The cowardly fucking shifter had turned tail and ran.

"This was a fucking waste of time, Erwin." He started to rant. "You let Eren and Petra be taken for this shit!"

"That's enough, Captain." Erwin quickly rebuked, annoyed that his old friend had just blurted that out in front of the Garrison Captain.

The silent anger and resentment Erwin could tolerate, but he would not accept Levi's bitterness at him to overrule his normally rational mind. The fewer people who knew about Eren and Petra kidnapping at this stage, the better.

He returned Levi's dark look with one of his own, cold and firm, and spoke to him in the tone usually reserved for soldiers that had failed him. A tone of disappointment and dismissal.

"I want you to look around for Mike. Find out what he saw then report back to me."

While this dismissal was masked as an order to gather additional information (and one Erwin did want to be fulfilled) the real message behind it was clear as day to the scowling Levi.

"_Leave, and don't come back till you've cooled off."_

Once again, the two men stared each other down, each wondering how much more strain their rapport would endure this day. If it kept up like this, it wouldn't be long before one of them said or did something they would regret.

With great effort, Levi forced his fist to uncurl, relieving the pinpricks of pain where his nails had pressed into his palm. Then, without another word, Levi simply turned and walked away.

Erwin watched him go with a slight frown. What a mess this day had turned into. The two of them would be having words later, but right now he needed to deal with this slip up before it started to spread like wildfir-

"Someone took Eren?" Hannes's stammering voice drew Erwin's attention away from the retreating Levi. Hannes's golden eyes had grown wide with fear, and he abruptly stepped forward, coming within touching distance. For a moment, it looked like Hannes was about to grab the Commander, but he managed to keep his twitching hands by his sides. "W-what happened? Is he okay? Where is he?!"

Erwin almost stepped back, somewhat startled at the man's sudden change of demeanour. Whereas before he had been calm, if slightly laidback, Hannes was now frantic and worried, and the way he asked about Eren was full of genuine concern for the young shifter, far more than he had expected from a soldier of the Garrison, or anyone really outside of Eren's close-knit friend group.

If Erwin didn't know any better, he would say that Hannes sounded almost… _protective_.

"You know Eren?" Erwin asked, playing for time as he blatantly sidestepped the questions. He _really_ didn't want news of Eren's kidnapping to be spread about within the scouts, let alone the other divisions, but thanks to Levi that cat was already out of the bag. Now the best he could do was control the damage.

"I was a close friend of his parents, hell, my wife and I even babysat Eren for them when he was a toddler. He's practically family! Please, Commander, tell me what happened? Is he alright?" Hannes stressed again, practically pleading with the Scout commander.

Erwin knew he didn't have to answer the questions. He could pull rank and say nothing, not being beholden to a Captain, or he could give the age-old military answer of 'it's classified' and refuse to say more.

But the look in the man's eyes, one of genuine consternation for young Eren and the fact he had tended to his scouts in their time of need was enough to convince the Commander that Hannes deserved at least part of the story.

"There was an ambush in Hermina. They killed some of your compatriots and kidnapped Eren and another scout. We don't know where they have taken him or their intentions." Erwin answered softly, conscious of who else might be listening. "I am sorry," he added, noticing how Hannes' shoulders slumped in defeat.

Looking down at his feet, Hannes spoke in a broken whisper. "W-what about Armin, and Mikasa? Are they okay? They would never have let Eren be taken without a fight."

Erwin didn't doubt that, and a part of him wished they had been there. Especially Ackerman. "They weren't there. Both of them are with our chief researcher on a training mission."

"They don't know…" Hannes fell silent and looked down at his feet, trying to process the body blow that was Eren's kidnapping.

Erwin was averting his gaze to give the man a moment of privacy to collect himself when Hannes said something which changed everything.

"The people who took Eren, the attackers… they were MPs, weren't they?"

If his head had swivelled his head back to the Captain any faster Erwin would have broken his neck.

"MPs? How-" He exclaimed before cutting himself off. He'd be a massive hypocrite if he finished that sentence and blurted out his suspicions about a shadowy government force attacking them, especially after reprimanding Levi for speaking about Eren.

"No, Captain, it wasn't the MPs." He stated, keeping his voice level. _'At least not ones in uniform anyway.'_ "Why do you ask?"

"When we arrived here, we found a few MPs amongst the dead. They looked like that had been caught in an explosion, so we couldn't identify who they were, but we could still make out the badge on their clothes." Stiffly, Hannes looked over his shoulder towards the recruits. "They said the MPs attacked them, and that they wanted to take one of their friends."

Erwin let out another small breath he didn't realise he had been holding. If there was one thing he had learnt in his life, it was that very few things in this world are truly coincidental.

If what the recruits had told Hannes was right (and seeing as there was no reason for the MPs to be here otherwise, he had little reason to doubt them) then there had been two nearly simultaneous attacks on his corp, both of which seemed to have the same goal of taking someone.

These attacks were connected, and Erwin would bet his right arm on that.

'_So, while Kenny and his men waited in Hermina to take Eren, the MPs came here to take one of the recruits. But something must have gone wrong, and that caused the shifter to reveal themself.' _Erwin started to theorise, feeling some of the pieces starting to fall into place. It wasn't the perfect theory by any stretch of the imagination, but it was a start.

He was still left with many questions as to what _exactly_ happened here, who it was that the MPs wanted, why the shifter decided to flee over the Wall, and perhaps most importantly, the true identity of the shifter.

Fixing his icy blue eyes onto his new recruits over Hannes' shoulder, Erwin made his decision. They must have seen the whole thing, and it was time for him to get to the bottom of this, once and for all.

"Is that so? Well, I believe it's time for me to talk to the recruits. Thank you, Captain. Your report has been of great help, and you have my utmost gratitude for your team's actions today." Erwin quietly thanked the man, taking a mental note to mention Hannes to Pixis, next time they met. "I trust I can rely on your… _discretion_ about what we discussed. For his sake."

Hannes dimly nodded to Erwin's words, still reeling from what happened to Eren to do much else. He felt like he failed Carla again, letting her son be taken like he allowed that grotesque smiling Titan to take her, and not even the knowledge that at least Armin and Mikasa were safe was enough to shake off the feeling. They would be devastated when they find out what happened.

A firm hand landing on his shoulder made Hannes jump. Lifting his eyes from the ground, he saw Erwin's resolute and determined face looking down upon him with a reassuring smile. "We'll get him back, Hannes. We won't rest until we've found him. You have my word on that."

Hannes wanted to ask if he could join them in searching for Eren. Desperately so, to the point where the question was on the tip of his tongue when he was stopped in his tracks by an old memory.

_"Stop being so lazy!" _The high pitch voice of a seven-year-old Eren Yeager rang in his ears._ "You're a soldier, so go do soldier stuff!"_

_"Damn it Eren, you don't kick a sleeping man, it's bad luck ya' know." _His own voice answered back, laidback and happy, even if he had been kicked away from a drunken nap. _"Anyway, I'll have you know we are doing 'soldier stuff'. We are maintaining order and security in the district by keeping watch here in the market square."_

"_You were asleep!" _Eren had shrieked, which with his young, squeaky voice, had felt like a hot poker being shoved into his hungover brain._ "Someone could have stolen something off Mr Clavis's stall, and you wouldn't have seen it."_

"_Ah but they didn't, because we were here to deter them." _

Gods he had been such a carefree lazy ass back then. No wonder Shigashina fell so quickly with people like him defending it. Even as a kid, Eren could see that, and every time he had tried to change that Hannes had just ruffled the boy's hair and laughed him off.

"_That's stupid! You didn't do anything. But when I grow up, I'm going to become a soldier and show you lot how a real soldier behaves. I'll be the best soldier ever!"_

A real soldier. That's what Eren had wanted from him. He didn't want the bone idle drunkard or the lovable idiot, he had wanted a protector, a hero, someone who was willing and able to defend his home and family while he was still too young to do it himself. And Hannes had utterly failed him, allowing his home, his _mother, _to be taken by the Titans because he was too much of a coward to do his job.

It was a failure Hannes had dedicated half a decade to atone for. Five long years of hard work and training to become that 'real soldier' that Eren had wanted. Five years since he had last slept on duty, five years since the last drop of alcohol had touched his lips.

But in those five years, he had not just become a real soldier, but a real Captain as well, and that meant something.

He had a duty to maintain his post, no matter what and defend the Wall with his life. He was charged with leading and protecting a squad of brave men and women, one of which was Eren's own classmate. When he had taken his oath of Captaincy, Hannes had sworn to himself that he would die for them, and never again would he abandon someone like he had Carla.

But now that promise was being tested. On the one hand, there was Eren, the son of the woman he had failed, while on the other there was his squad and his duty, which he had vowed never to fail in her memory.

Hannes was torn, but once again it was the memories of Eren which helped him choose.

'_He always said I was a lousy soldier back home, but look at me now. A proper Captain, with a proper squad and mission. He'd probably be proud of what I've become.' _Hannes thought with a weak smile._ 'And he would be absolutely furious if I abandoned that, even if it was to search for him.' _

That just how Eren was; bull-headed, uncompromising and stubborn to a fault. And it was why Hannes loved him like the son he never had.

A son he knew he'd had to trust to the scouts to bring him back safe and sound.

_'Forgive me, Carla… I hope this is the right decision.'_

"Thank you, Commander," Hannes whispered, finally trusting his voice again. Then he gave a proper salute, before asking a favour of the man whose hands he was leaving Eren fate in.

"When you find him, could… could you tell him how proud I am of him? I never got the chance before after he signed up."

Erwin inclined his head. "Consider it done, Captain."

* * *

It had been a long, _long _time since Levi had felt useless. He was 'Humanity's strongest', the slayer of countless Titans, an unstoppable force of nature given human form. He could carve his way through a dozen titans without breaking a sweat.

But right now, as he stormed away from Erwin to fulfil some bullshit order to find Mike, Levi didn't just feel useless, he felt like a fucking joke.

What was the point of all his strength if he couldn't even defend his own goddamn team?

He could have saved them. He could have cut down every single son of a bitch that tried to lay their filthy hands on Eren and Petra. But instead, he decided to go after Kenny.

'_He baited you away from them.' _His inner voice scorned. _'And you fell for it completely, like a stupid kid.' _

Levi didn't even try to defend himself. It was true, every word. One look at the smirking face of the man who had abandoned him and he had lost it. Red filled his vision, and he charged after him, screaming his name like a curse. No thought was given as to why Kenny was here, only blind fury and an overwhelming desire to make him pay for what he had done.

He should notice something was wrong the moment Kenny started to fall back, laughing and jeering, purposely leading him away from his squad. But he didn't, and now Eren and Petra were gone.

He had failed her during the expedition, failed them both in Hermina and then failed them again when he listened to Erwin and allowed himself to be led all the way here.

'_They could be anywhere by now, all because you abandoned them. To HIM.' _The voice sneered, twisting the knife. _'Tell me, what do you think he'll do with them? His newest playthings?'_

Memories of blood and death flashed before his eyes, scenes of Kenny's brutality in action or its aftermath, both of which he knew too well. Fighting against this wave of memories, Levi tried to force them down. He didn't want to see those things again or remember the screams that often accompanied them.

But the voice continued, ignored his fight and worse, dragged up one of the bloodiest memories of his childhood.

'_You know what he's capable of. Remember that MP? The one you found in his 'workshop'?' _

'_Enough.'_ Levi's hand shook at his side and curled into a fist. There were very few things that made him feel physically sick, but _that_ memory… that was one of them.

'_So much blood… How long had he kept that poor fucker alive for? Hours? Days? Weeks? And Yeager heals doesn't he... Whole limbs growing back in a few hours. Imagine what Kenny could do with that, torturing that kid over and over and over again. And what about Petra? Just imagine what he could…'_

'_ENOUGH!' _Levi roared in his mind, using the white-hot fury in his heart to banish the voice and _that_ memory away. _'I will find them, and I will get them back. And if Kenny has put a finger on either of them, I'll cut his damn head off.' _

Letting out a breath at the merciful silence in his head, Levi continued to walk, the hard look on his face more than enough to stop anyone from approaching him. He would find them, even if he has to turn over every damn stone within the walls.

He must have been walking several minutes when Levi came across a sight that made him stop and let out a disgruntled sigh.

That really was his luck. He couldn't keep an eye on his squad, but he could wander in a random direction with his mind clouded with rage and self-loathing, and somehow managed to come across the very person he had been sent to find.

Striding over to Mike, Levi looked down at him and folded his arms over his chest. "You look like shit."

While looking down at Mike might have been a slight exaggeration, seeing as how even when sitting in the dirt, head tilted back and leaning against a tree, Mike still came up to Levi's chest, the looking like shit comment was entirely accurate.

Half his face, from his sharp jawline to his hair was covered in a deep bruise, with a sickly yellow blotch located right in the middle of the unsightly injury. One of his eyes had swollen completely shut, while the other remained half-open but was bloodshot and glistening with pain.

His upper lip and chin were caked in partially dried blood, with more still dripping down from his badly broken nose. In one hand Mike held a piece of cloth which he had been using to stem the worst of the bleeding until the rag had become so sodden and saturated with the red liquid that it just couldn't hold back anymore.

Mike's one good eye focused on Levi, before growing wide in recognition. Then, with painful slowness, his bloodstained lips parted, and he started to speak.

"I feel like it," he grumbled, wincing in pain as the very act of talking pulled at the bruised skin around his mouth. "Where the bloody hell have you been?"

"Dealing with our own disaster," Levi answered truthfully, grimacing as blood continued to drip from Mike's nose with every word.

Clicking his tongue, Levi yanked off his cravat and tossed it to Mike. Even with his injuries robbing him of normal vision, Mike caught it with ease and gave its owner a strange look.

Rolling his eyes, Levi gestured towards the bloody mess coating the man's lips. "Wipe that shit off your face, it's disgusting."

Mike raised an eyebrow but nonetheless did what was asked of him without a word, gingerly cleaning off the worst of the mess from his mouth, while taking care to avoid touching his damaged nose. When he pulled the cravat away, Mike's face was still a mess, but at least now Levi could look at him without feeling his skin crawl.

"Get rid of that thing when you're done with it," Levi said, eyeing the befouled necktie with barely contained repugnance. He had plenty of spares back at HQ and had no desire to touch, let alone clean that one.

Throwing the cravat aside, Mike attempted a weak smile. "You're a terrible nurse Levi, you know that? I've seen Titans with a better bedside manner than you."

"I'm hurt..." Levi's reply was as dry as mid-summer's day during a drought. But despite his callous remarks, Levi was genuinely relieved to see Mike was alive, and subtly looked him over him, double-checking for other injuries. He couldn't see any, but then again he wasn't a doctor.

"What happened?" He asked, more out of his own curiosity than Erwin's order.

With a rattling breath, Mike's head tilted back again, and his eye flickered shut. For a moment, Levi wondered if he had just passed out. As he prepared to reach out and shake him awake, Mike started to speak again. "What didn't happen… You want the short version?"

Levi's immediate reaction was to nod but stopped himself from doing so, noticing how Mike hadn't re-opened his eyes. Mildly annoyed, Levi instead let out an affirmative grunt. "Save the rest for Erwin. He'll want the full story."

"When doesn't he?" Mike asked with a sigh, mentally preparing himself for one of Erwin's exhaustive debriefings. "Alright, short it is…"

"You remember Erwin's plan, right? Keep the recruits distracted and unarmed while we waited for you lot to arrive? Well, we followed that, and at first, it was going well. Told the kids to sit pretty inside while we 'set up the field' and started to gear up. Fell apart when those damn MPs arrived." Mike sighed.

"MPs?" Levi asked, unsure if he'd heard that right.

"Yeah, a bunch of them turn up acting like they owned the place. Marched up to us and said they were looking for one of the recruits: Lenz, or Reiss, or whatever her name is. Demanded we turned her over to them. I told them where they could go shove that idea, but they didn't like it and jumped us. Took down most of us easily, but Nanaba and Gelgar put up more of a fight. MPs made them pay for that though. Fucking bastards..." Mike spat out, his pain and discomfort momentarily forgotten as he recalled what happened to his squad.

Levi's eyes narrowed as he pursed his lips. Ambushes, attacks, kidnappings… this was sounding familiar, uncomfortably so. The only difference was that the MPs had carried it out instead of Kenny's ilk. But that did raise the question of why the hell the MPs and Kenny would be working together?

The only answer Levi could think of was that these MPs must have been a bunch of messed up masochists with a death wish. Why else would they cooperate with a man who made his name butchering their comrades like animals?

"They took the girl then?" Levi asked, wondering what was so important about the Lenz girl that it would cause the MPs to work with Kenny.

Before today Lenz had only partially registered in his mind as one of those snot-nosed kids that joined up after Trost. In fact, the only reason he wasn't completely ignorant of her existence was the fact that during the month leading up to the disastrous expedition he had seen her sitting next to Yeager's blond friend in the mess hall. For a brief, bewildering moment, Levi was sure Hanji had spiked his tea again because he saw double.

That moment had wriggled it ways into his mind's eye, and from that point onwards, it became impossible to unsee. And it only got worse if he saw them from behind. Same height, hair colour, posture, and both carried themselves with that confident stride, missing that general awkwardness most teenagers possessed as they grew into adulthood.

Frankly, Levi was sure they did it on purpose just to trip people up.

The issueof seeing them from behind came to a head a few days before the expedition when Levi had caught a quick glimpse of a short, blond-haired scout walking down the HQ's empty corridors. Without thinking, Levi had called out to the kid, assuming it was Arlert to tell him that four-eyes was looking for him, only for Lenz to turn around and levelled him a look which could have been anything between a smirk or a frown.

After that, Levi found himself identifying the two blonds by who they were with, rather than risking another awkward moment like that. After some subtle monitoring, Levi determined that if the blond was with that tall, freckled girl, then it was Lenz, and if they were with Ackerman, then it was Arlert. He had spotted both the blonds hanging around Ackerman once or twice, so it wasn't a perfect system, but it would do.

But in all of his observations of the girl, he had seen nothing which would indicate she was important in any way. Sure, she was a decent soldier and competent 3DM user (compared to the other brats that is) and seemed to be well-liked by the other kids, but that was it. Nothing that would connect her to Yeager, or convince the MPs to get off their arses, let alone get them to work with the Ripper.

'_Unless...'_ Levi paused, running an idea through his head. _'Unless she's the Female Titan.'_

It was a wild, baseless assumption, no more than him grasping at straws or just throwing shit at a wall just to see what sticks. Yet this shit stuck hard.

It was clear that Kenny and his gang went after Yeager because he was a shifter, that much was obvious. So was it such a leap to assume the MPs went after Lenz for the same reason? With both Yeager and the Armoured, there were already two shifters in the 104th, so what was one more thrown in the pile at this point.

Mike scrunched up his face and slowly shook his head. "No. They never got the chance."

"The shifter." Levi breathed out, his theory regarding Lenz shoved aside and replaced with a cold fury.

"Aye." Mike wasn't surprised that Levi knew about the shifter, after all, he had been in that meeting between himself, Hanji and Erwin. "He and another girl came out to stop them. Lenz's… _friend_. They argued for a while, but then the MPs shot the shifter, and he turned."

"Who?" Levi's voice was cold as ice.

Mike wearily opened his eye and looked at the Captain. He knew precisely why Levi wanted the shifter's name, after what he had done to his squad. Mike doubted there was a single person in the survey corp that hadn't heard what happened to the special operation squad, or how brutally it was done.

Levi and himself had served together for years, as Humanity's strongest and second strongest, and after their rocky start, they had become close comrades, perhaps even friends. But he knew Levi had a darker side, and that it must have been screaming out for blood at what the shifter had done to his squad. Telling him the shifter's name was basically akin to signing the kid's death warrant.

It was a strange feeling that. Mike wanted to see that traitorous bastard suffer for what he had done to Humanity and his comrades. He wanted justice for them with every fibre of his being.

But something was niggling around in the back of his mind, whispering doubts and uncertainties into his very soul. The way the shifter had reacted both before and after he changed, just felt distinctly wrong to Mike.

He may not have heard everything the kid had said to the MPs, but the way he stood and spoke seemed to be filled with genuine fear and concern, both for his squad and the recruits in the ranch.

Something just didn't add up. Why would he bother to help Lenz at all? Why shove the other girl out of the way? Why take the bullet? Was it some 'heroic' act to make him seem more trustworthy in their eyes? Surely the kid must have known that being shot would force him to reveal his abilities, and no amount of existing trust would help him then.

And the less said about the _incident _after the change, the better. It was like the kid had a breakdown or something, trying to tear his own face off like some back-alley drug addict after a bad hit.

'_What the hell was going through the kid's head?'_

"The name, Mike." This time Levi didn't even attempt to mask it as a question. This was a demand, an order, and while they may share the same rank, Mike knew this wasn't a hill he wanted to die on. That kid had made his choice.

"Braun." He blurted out, looked Levi dead in the eye. "Reiner Braun is the Armoured Titan."

* * *

**Well, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and the return of Mina and best EMA uncle, and I hope you have been left at least somewhat confused about what the hell is going on with Reiner. *evil grin***  
**And I hope didn't find Levi too OOC (like the 104th last chapter I made him a bit more emotive than canon seeing as this all happens just two days after he lost most of his squad and then had to deal with Kenny for the first time in years. He's more than a little on edge.)**

**Now one last thing before you go I wanted to ask what your preferences were for chapters. Do you like these monthly 8-11k chapters or would you prefer me to do smaller chapters (maybe 3-5k) hopefully every fortnight?**  
**There are advantages and disadvantages to both so let me know what you think.**


	28. Questions and Answers Part 3

**The people have asked for quicker chapters and more AM, and I am a man of the people! And I threw in some bonus Hanji since they didn't include her in the newest season trailer.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The campsite was being disassembled at record speed. Pegs were ripped out of the earth, as the ropes and tents were bundled into piles and wrapped up. Scouts darted back and forth, loading up the horses as they prepared to move out.

Hanji watched this all happen with a sense of detachment. It might have been her who had issued the orders to break camp and send out search parties, but Hanji felt like nothing more than a spectator, idly watching as her subordinates rushed about, trying to fix her colossal fuckup.

_"Section Commander."_

It would be fruitless though, Hanji already knew that. No matter what they did, or how quickly they did it, Hoover would be long gone by now.

At best he had half a night's headstart on them, and from the fact they were one horse down, he could be halfway across Rose by now.

A small part of her wanted to be angry at the three watchers; Mikasa, Armin and Jean for failing in their duties but she couldn't bring herself to do it. After all, the fourth watcher had been Hoover himself, a decision that rested entirely upon her shoulders.

Erwin had told her the main suspects in her party; Bertholdt and Armin, and she had taken a dangerous gamble by putting both on watch. Perhaps naively, she had hoped that the lack of sleep would have left them tired and listless for Eren's arrival. Afterall they needed every advantage they could get to successfully deal with the Armoured Titan, especially if they wanted to capture it.

At the time a sleep-deprived shifter seemed like a worthwhile gamble, but it had backfired massively. By putting the suspects on watch, she had given Bertholdt the perfect opportunity to slip away in the night in between shift changes. Basically handed him a way out on a silver platter.

_"Section Commander."_

Of course, once she had discovered his empty tent, Hanji had immediately turned to the watchers and demanded to know what had happened last night, and how he had managed to slip past them without raising the alarm.

The answers she got made her want to scream. As the three remaining watchers gave their report of what had happened while the rest of them were sleeping, it was clear that her gamble had worked, just on the wrong people.

Jean had to smother down yawns as he spoke, rubbing his bleary eyes as he attempted to proclaim his own lack of responsibility while trying to avoid blaming his two co-watchers.

Mikasa answered with her usual quiet stoicism as she explained how she had been the last watcher and had spotted nothing out of the ordinary during her shift. Hanji found little reason to doubt her, based on those dark circles she had under her grey eyes, indicating a very late night or early start.

But what really made Hanji want to scream and shout was the fact that Armin, the other possible suspect, according to Erwin, had clearly been affected the most by the lack of sleep. He seemed to still be half asleep with his responses to her questions being slow and sluggish, lacking any of his quick wit and quiet intelligence that she had quickly grown to respect.

"Section Commander!"

So, her brilliant plan had worked just on the wrong bloody people, leaving her with three tired recruits and a missing shifter who had fled in the night.

_'Genius, Hanji, truly genius.'_

Not for the first time, Hanji wondered why Erwin had entrusted this mission to her. She wasn't made for this sort of thing, the espionage and sneaking about. She had even said so to his face during the meeting, but he had just given her one of his knowing half-smiles and dismissed her concerns claiming she was far better than she believed.

Well, now she could say without a shadow of a doubt that Erwin was wrong and she was right. In trying to be smart all she had done was made a complete bloody mess of this, and now the Armoured Titan was roaming around, Wall's know where, free to do anything he liked to the unprepared humanity.

**"Hanji!"**

Hanji blinked hard, forcefully yanked out of her downward spiral of anger and disgust by the shout. Turning toward the source, Hanji came face to face with a worried looking Moblit whose hand was outstretched and hovered just a few inches above from her shoulder, seemingly moments away from grabbing her. He must have been calling her for a while.

"Oh, Moblit, I didn't see you there." She lamely tried to excuse herself, embarrassed at being caught unaware. "I was just-"

"Beating yourself up." Moblit cut her off with a small smile. When he saw her raising an eye at his statement, Moblit explained with a shrug. "You always run a hand through your hair when you're stressed, but you didn't punish or even warn the watchers, which means you're blaming yourself for this."

His eyes flickered up as he spoke and Hanji, to her own bewilderment, found that her hand was currently lodged in her knotted hair. Carefully pulling it free, Hanji stared at the offending hand for a moment, before letting it drop to her side.

How long had that been a habit of hers? And how long hadn't she known?!

"I screwed up badly, Moblit. I think some self-loathing is warranted." Hanji fired back once she had processed his words, her tone tight and dark. She knew what he was trying to do but didn't allow it. She wasn't deserving of his sympathy.

Hanji could see Moblit's mouth starting to move in what was almost certainly another denial, but quickly cut him off, preventing his next attempt at dragging her out of her dour mood. "Have we heard anything from the search parties yet?" She asked, looking away and pretending to scan the skies for a signal flare.

Moblit sighed, admitting defeat in the face of his Commander's stubbornness. "Nothing yet, Section Commander, but they haven't been gone long. Perhaps we should wait for a bit longer, they might still find him, or at least some tracks."

Grinding her teeth together, Hanji just shook her head, allowing her messy ponytail to sway in the light morning wind. If they haven't found any sign of Hoover yet, it was already too late.

"No point. He'll be long gone by now, and even if by some miracle he's not, we don't have the numbers or the equipment needed to deal with the Armoured Titan on such unfavourable terms. Call them back." The order left a bitter taste in her mouth - the taste of defeat.

Once more Moblit made to argue but backed down at the sideway glance he received from the morose scientist. Silently, Moblit inserted a yellow flare into his pistol, lifted it to the heavens and fired.

"So what now, Section Commander?" Moblit asked after the ringing in his ears had faded.

Hanji wished she had a decent answer for him, she really did, but the painful reality was that she just didn't know. The things they had done to set up this trap; scattering the recruits, leaving their gear behind in HQ, and camping out in the sticks to avoid collateral damage were now working against them.

The effective combat force she could muster right now consisted entirely of her own squad unless she was willing to make the recruits fight the Armoured Titan without 3DM gear. At that point, it would be more humane to simply line them up against a wall and shoot them. They'd probably have a higher chance of survival that way…

And even if she was crazy enough, or cruel enough, to do that, just finding the shifter to fight would be nigh-impossible without an extensive search over a vast area of ground. And to do that they needed numbers, numbers they just didn't have.

"Moblit, I want you and most of the recruits to head back to base. Get them geared up and prepare the rest corp for a possible attack. If anyone protests, tell them you speak with my authority."

Despite her own misgivings, Hanji was in the upper epsilons of leadership, second only to Erwin. She may not employ the true extent of her authority often, being more interested in research and development than outright command. Still, when she did exert her power, the corp knew to listen, even if her instructions came from Moblit's mouth.

"Most of them?" A confused Moblit asked, looking to where the young scouts were hastily loading up their horses.

"Yeah," Hanji's gaze followed his, briefly pausing on the three she wouldn't be sending with him. "Our three watchers are at least partially responsible for this debacle, so the four of us can face the music together. We'll be riding west with the rest of the squad to link up with Erwin and Eren."

Moblit seemed to hesitate for a moment, and Hanji wasn't sure if it was because she had decided to find Erwin or from the fact she basically bequeathed him the command of the entire Survey Corp until either herself or Erwin relieved him. Probably the latter when she thought about it.

Eventually though, Moblit bowed his head in acknowledgement. "Aye, Commander. I'll make the preparations." He started to turn away, and Hanji was about to let him when something stopped her.

If this went wrong and Hoover did launch a punitive attack today, this may be the very last time she saw him. She didn't like to think in such terms, but everyone in the survey corp knew the grim realities of their service, and Hanji could barely remember a time when Moblit wasn't at her side.

_'He puts up with so much crap from me and not once has he let me down. He could easily be a captain of his own squad by now, yet he's never asked for anything or even hinted at wanting that.' _Hanji ruminated, wondering why he had stuck by her all these years, and what she had done to deserve such a loyal friend.

"Wait, Moblit," The name was blurted out before Hanji even knew what she was going to say. Her right-hand man paused mid-step and turned back to face her with his bright brown eyes.

"I-I... Stay safe, you hear me? We've still got so much research to do, and I don't want you to miss out on any of it."

Moblit seemed surprised at her words, as his eyes grew wide. Then, another soft smile broke across his face. "I wouldn't miss it for the world, Section Commander." He said before he turned away and walked off towards the horses, once more leaving Hanji alone with her thoughts.

Thoughts which lingered on that smile, and how it made her heart beat just that little bit faster.

"Don't be ridiculous," Hanji mumbled, quickly pulled her gaze away from Moblit's retreating form, feeling like a little girl who had been caught trying to steal treats from the kitchen.

There was hardly time for such silliness.

* * *

Armin grunted as he hoisted the tent roll onto his horse's hindquarters. With quick, nimble fingers, he tied it down and secured it to the saddleback as he had done hundreds of times before. He gave it a hard tug, satisfied with his work.

All around him, the others were doing much the same, but with a great deal more confusion and hesitation. They didn't know what had caused Hanji abrupt change after discovering Bertholdt's empty tent, and the complete lack of explanation had led to rumours quickly spreading. At first, most assumed something terrible had happened to their missing friend, which is why Hanji had ordered a search. But when one of the scouts had yelled out, informing everyone one of the horses were missing the rumours quickly changed to desertion, a line of thinking which quickly lead the 104th to quietly mutter the name of another deserter they all knew.

Armin, of course, made no attempt to dissuade or feed this rumour, allowing it instead to run freely and sow further confusion. It was almost too easy.

"Need a hand?" He spoke up, talking to the person he knew was at his back.

"Please," Mikasa answered, despite tying down her own tent roll with well-practised ease. Turning around, Armin swiftly stepped beside her and started to 'help' Mikasa tie down her gear. To anyone watching it was just one friend helping another get ready to move out, and the sight was so common that no one gave it a second, giving the two a perfect opportunity to talk without prying eyes or ears.

"So far so good," Armin breathed out, threading a rope into a tight knot. "Good thinking with the horse."

There was a brief flicker of a smile on Mikasa's face at his praise. "Thanks," She replied, just as quietly.

Letting one of the horses go had been a split-second decision on her part, made while she had been waiting for Bertholdt to succumb to the tainted wine Armin had plied him with. It had only taken a few minutes to free one of the horses and send it bolting into the night with a hard slap on its rump, and now it was paying dividends.

It appeared that Hanji fully believed Bertholdt had escaped on horseback, and judging from the flare Moblit had just sent up, she had realised the folly of trying to search for someone with such a 'headstart' on them. A realisation which suited the two of them entirely.

Thinking back to Hanji's short interrogation, Mikasa let out a small hum of approval. They had both done their part to nudge the scientist's thinking along that path, making her think Bertholdt had slipped away the second Armin took over his watch, but Armin had gone above and beyond, deflecting almost all the anger or blame away from them.

Lightly nudging Armin with her elbow, Mikasa murmured her praise for his performance. "Your act with Hanji was very compelling."

"Act? Only partly." Armin stifled down a bemused snort. He didn't need to use much of his acting abilities to seem tired. "I'd probably be falling asleep if you hadn't made me..." He trailed off, thinking back to the tent they had shared as a pinkish bloom formed on his cheeks. It may have only been for a few hours, but that had been the best night sleep he'd had in a long time.

"Oh." Mikasa, realising what Armin was referring to had a similar reaction, but thanks to her pale ivory skin, her small blush stood out far more.

"...you're welcome." She finished shyly, absentmindedly tugging one of the ropes she had tied under her mount a bit too hard. With a disgruntled whinny at the chafing rope, her horse reared up and shook, nearly sending the tent roll tumbling off.

With this perhaps merciful (or frustrating) distraction suddenly demanding their full attention, both blushing shifters quickly set out to calm the unsettled mare.

"Whoa, Uma. Steady girl," The somewhat flustered Mikasa cooed, grabbing the bridle with a firm hand and lightly stroking her mount's dark brown fur. As she ran her fingers over the soft hair, Mikasa could see Armin chewing his lip out of the corner of her eye. He was staring rather intently at the tent roll as he hastily loosened the upsettingly tight rope, which he must have achieved since Uma let out a small huff and nuzzled her face against Mikasa's hand.

"Sorry girl." She murmured softly as her mind started to wander.

_'This is so silly,'_ Mikasa thought, biting her own lip. _'We've slept beside each other before. Why is this time different? I mean we're twenty… One? Two?' _Mikasa had to pause for a moment, to work out exactly how old they were counting back to their date of birth wasn't really applicable to the two of them anymore.

_'Twenty-one... or thereabout.'_ Mikasa eventually settled on after some quick maths. Either way, they were old enough and mature enough that this sort of thing, the timidity and bashfulness, should be behind them… right? Especially for two people who have spent half their lives in the military and even longer as close friends. Why the sudden and random bouts of nervousness around each other?

On some level, Mikasa knew why it was happening, but seeing as that part of her often came in the form of Ymir's smug face and voice, she instead opted to squish it down into the subconsciousness.

"Ackerman! Arlert!" A voice cried, shaking the two shifters from their private thoughts as they turned to face the source of the shout. Sitting astride her horse with her iconic cherry blond hair, Nifa looked at the pair of them expectantly. Beside her on his own mount was Jean, who was looking dead ahead with an expression of resignation acceptance. "Mount up, you're with us!"

A spark of fear formed in Mikasa's heart as she heard this. Something wasn't right, they should be heading back to headquarters with the other recruits. Why the last-minute change?

"Are we not heading back to headquarters, Ma'am?" Armin asked, vocalising Mikasa's concerns, sounding just as confused as she was. This wasn't part of the plan.

"No," The veteran scout answered evenly. "We're meeting up with Commander Erwin, so hurry up. We're moving out."

Despite Nifa's demand for haste, Mikasa turned her head and shared a look with Armin. All traces of their previous embarrassment had been wiped away as they held their lightning-fast silent conversation. Countless questions wordless darted between them;

Was this another one of Erwin's schemes, one directed at them? Had they slipped up somewhere and allowed him to discover who, and what, they really are? Why else would the two of them be brought, unarmed, to face him and likely Eren as well?

And why were they bringing Jean along? Was the corp planning on using their friend as some kind of hostage to ensure their submission?

In a twisted sort of way, it was almost funny. They had taken down Annie in the dead of night with only a tranquilliser and stolen blade and made it look like desertion.

Bertholdt, the holder of the most dangerous Titan in existence, they had brought low, surrounded by sleeping witnesses with a poison they had stolen from Hanji's secured laboratory.

Hell, the two of them had even held the true King of the Walls prisoner for a few hours and tortured him for information, all to fulfil their mission. And they had done it without batting an eye.

But the thought of facing Commander Erwin, a man they feared and respected in equal measure, was enough to make them waver. If anyone could have sussed them out, it would be him...

Mikasa's eyes darted down, just for a second, visually guiding Armin toward the hidden pen knife he knew she had strapped to her thigh. Armin found his breath hitching in his throat at the unspoken question and if it wasn't clear enough from that small glimpse down, the heavy look in her dark eyes when she recaught his gaze was particularly damning.

_"Do I shift?"_

_"No,"_ Armin pleaded with his eyes. _"Not now. We can use this, trust me." _He was almost ashamed it wasn't just a flat out 'no', but they had come too far for the scouts to intervene now. Not when they could be mere hours away from finally dealing with Reiner.

It was likely Erwin had sent Reiner and the rest of their friends to that ranch the corp owned, as he had done in their first life during the mission to capture Annie. It was just as out of the way and isolated as their current location.

While neither of them had ever been to that ranch before, they knew it was in the west, past Hermina and nearby Connie's and Sasha's villages. Armin was sure they would be able to find it as long as they could get close.

Fortunately, to travel to Mitras they would have to pass through Hermina, bringing them close enough to their intended target. All they would have to do is dutifully ride alongside Hanji until they neared the city, then slip away before anyone else realised was happening and finally finish their mission.

Armin knew they wouldn't have long and that Erwin and Hanji would quickly work out what had happened, and would bring all the scouts they could muster, including Eren, rushing after them.

But at this moment Armin didn't care. They had to face Reiner on their terms, not the corps. It was the only way they could keep them safe.

Reiner had already shown his willingness to butcher their comrades, and he wouldn't hesitate to do it again, especially if he figured out he was truly alone now. And without thunderspears, the scouts had no real way to defend themselves from him. It would be a massacre.

_'We were doing this for their sake.' _Armin told himself, even as he and Mikasa stiffly mounted up and slowly followed the rest of the squad out of the dissembled campsite.

_'They'll understand eventually. They have to...'_

* * *

The mood of the ride out west could best be described as frosty. Both Armin and Mikasa were on edge and struggled to keep those nerves from showing on their faces as they tore across Rose, pushing their mounts to the limit.

Armin had attempted to make some small talk with Jean, both to put his own mind at rest and to see what he might know about this sudden detour, but Jean steadfast refused to be engaged by any of his conversation starters, only giving curt, one-word answers or grunts. Eventually, Jean stopped replying entirely and just flat out ignored any further attempts at talking.

That did little to settle Armin's nerves, especially when he started to consider the possibility that Jean might also be in whatever this was. Perhaps like he had been the lure for Annie, Erwin had picked Jean to do the same to them.

That idea stung more than he cared to admit.

Slunking back, Armin rode alongside Mikasa for the rest of the journey with a heavy heart. If this was a trap he wouldn't be able to help her, unsure if he would even manage a shift so soon after reinheriting his Titan. And even if he could, actually doing so was another matter entirely.

Armin knew all too well the destructive power the change alone could inflict, even if he controlled the explosion. Anyone standing too close to him would be immolated or left crippled from horrific burns and other injuries; the kind of injuries that even a shifter would struggle to heal from if they were too close.

No. There would be no shifting for him this day.

If he had his 3DM gear like they had planned, however, things would be different. He could at least help Mikasa in the coming battle (against _whom _at this point, Armin could not say), even if he just made himself into a flying, sword-wielding annoyance for their foes.

He hated the feeling of being useless, and it only grew worse as the outcropping of Wall Sina around Hermina came into view. They were so close now; to Erwin, to Eren, to _Reiner. _So very, _very_ close.

All they had to do was wait until they were in the city, and were swamped by crowds of civilians going about their ordinary lives. Then, when Hanji and the others were distracted, trying to navigate through the hordes of wealthy Sina idiots, they'd just slip away into the faceless masses. Hardly the most complex escape plan he's ever hatched, but sometimes the most straightforward option really is the best one.

They just had to hold out a few more minutes-

"Section Commander! Smoke!" One of Hanji's squad members, a man with a pair of goggles whose name Armin couldn't recall, called out pointing beyond the city to where a plumb of smoke was steadily rising into the sky.

Hanji looked over, and when she saw the vast pillar of smoke rising from the south-west of the city, inside Wall Rose, she ordered a halt and pulled a looking glass from her packsack. Bringing the bronze tube to her eye, Hanji aimed it toward the smoke and inhaled sharply.

"Keiji! Green flare. Now!" Hanji fired off the order without missing a beat, her attention still fixed on the billowing smoke. Keiji fumbled for his flare gun, taken by surprise at the abruptness of the command, and hastily fired off a green flare. As he did so, he shared a look with his squadmates - a look of confusion.

They all waited in silence as the seconds ticked by, many of them holding their breath as the flare reached its apex. Five seconds passed, then ten, then twenty and finally, thirty seconds after the green flare was painted across the sky, a red one was fired back in reply, rising beside the smoke like a splash of blood against a soot-black canvas.

"Change of plans," Hanji grimly informed them, stashing the looking glass away. "Looks like Mike's in trouble. Let's go."

"Mike?" The name of Humanity's second strongest soldier was thrown about between the baffled scouts, but Hanji didn't grace any of them with an explanation. She just kicked her heels and rode onwards, forcing the rest to follow her.

Armin had to admit that if this was a trap for the two of them, then Hanji's squad either had incredible acting skills or were equally in the dark about what was happening. Either way, this was an elaborate setup. A bit too elaborate, even for Erwin.

The first change of plan that just so happened to occur after they dealt with Bertholdt; a fire apparently set where Captain Mike, Historia and Reiner were which led to another change of plans. If this was a trap set for them, it was a truly byzantine scheme. But if it wasn't, and this had been a string of remarkable coincidences, then something must have happened with the other group.

Armin tightened his grip around the reins as he considered what may have happened, and looked over at Mikasa. He could see it in her face, locked in a grim frown that she must have been thinking the same thing.

Reiner must have made his move.

* * *

The first thing Squad Hanji and their three young wards saw once they arrived at their destination, not including the smouldering hulk of a building surrounded by vast footprints which they had seen from a fair distance away, was Commander Erwin and Captain Levi in the midst of a conversation.

"You believe she's the one?" They overheard Erwin asking with a calculating look on his face.

Levi opened his reply with an irritated grunt, "I don't _believe_ anything. I just think it's a possibility. Why else would they want her?"

"It's possible," Erwin reluctantly agreed, "We'd need to find her first thought if we want proof."

Whatever Levi intended to say next was cut off by Hanji practically leaping from her horse and sprinting towards the two men shouting Erwin's name loud enough to wake the dead.

"Hanji?" Erwin span round, taken by surprise. Several emotions flashed across his face; shock, confusion, disbelief, and a split second of frustration before he reconstituted his calm mask. He had of course been expecting someone from the corps to arrive, having seen and replied to their flare, but he had never expected it to be Hanji. "What are you doing here?"

"Hoover… Titan… Gone…" Hanji forced out in between deep labouring breaths. The brutal pace she had maintained during the ride and the final sprint across the field had practically robbed all the air from her lungs, and she had to bend over and clutch at her legs to keep herself upright.

Erwin raised a hand halting the breathless explanation. "Breath Hanji. Then tell me why you're here."

After a few moments of heavy breathing, Hanji righted herself, still red in the face but at least able to talk in more coherent sentences.

"I'm sorry, Erwin, I screwed up." If Hanji's sombre apology surprised Erwin he didn't show it; instead, he merely cocked his head to the side, silently asking for an explanation for what she was apologising for.

Mournfully, Hanji bowed her head, unable to look him in the eye. "Bertholdt is the one we were looking for, the Armoured, but he escaped. I tried to be smart, by putting him on watch hoping it would tire him out for when you arrived, but he must have realised something was up because he stole a horse and fled in the middle of the night." She confessed grimly. "He could be anywhere by now."

There was a moment of stunned silence at her report which Hanji had excepted it to be broken by a furious Levi tearing into her for allowing his squad's murderer to escape justice. But before she could even muster the inner strength to look at Levi and face his surely inevitable anger, the hush was broken by none other than the Commander himself.

Erwin Smith, the ever calm and collected leader of the Survey Corps, turned his head away, closed his eyes, and in the softest voice Hanji had ever heard him use, uttered a single word.

"Shit."

Hanji's head snapped as up, and she almost fell on her arse in shock. Even Levi could not hide his surprise, as his mouth dropped open and he stared at Erwin as if he had sprouted a second head. In all the years they had known Erwin, this was the first time they had ever heard him curse.

Seemingly oblivious to the shock he had delivered to his officers, Erwin opened his eyes and turned back to the wide-eyed Hanji with a tight, hollow smile on his face. "I'm afraid you're mistaken Hanji, Reiner Braun is the Armoured Titan. He's the one who did this." He gestured to the destruction surrounding them. "However, since Hoover claimed to have come from the same village as Braun, it is likely he is, in fact, the Colossal Titan. And now both of them have avoided capture."

"Oh…" Hanji wavered on her feet, as the true scale of this disaster slammed into her. Both the shifters had slipped the net just before it landed on them.

But Erwin wasn't done there. "We have another problem as well. A bigger one."

"There's more?" Hanji choked out with a sense of foreboding. What could possibly be bigger than both the Armoured and Colossal Titan escaping?

_'Wait, wasn't Eren and Petra suppose to be with them? Where are they?'_

"Where's Eren?" A voice that wasn't hers blurted out. Sharp, fierce, and direct. In a way, it reminded her of Levi's voice when he was angry. In fact, if it hadn't been a pitch higher, and Levi wasn't currently standing quietly next to Erwin, apparently still in shock at the man's choice of word, Hanji would have assumed it was him that said it.

Hanji, Levi and Erwin looked over towards the speaker, to see the already storied Mikasa Ackerman, the pride of the 104th and the reaper of Trost having broken ranks from Hanji's idling group and marched right up to them, indifferent to the looks of incredulity, anger and bemusement she received.

"Mind your tongue, brat." Levi snapped, finally shaken from his stupor at her interruption. "You're speaking to your commander."

What Mikasa did next Hanji would remember for years to come. In the face of a loud, aggressive chastisement from the most fearsome and deadly soldier the corp had, Mikasa hadn't even flinched. She just looked at Levi out of the corner of her eye as if he was two inches tall. No words were spoken, and no apology was given - just a _look_.

Levi's face reddened in anger, and he made to step forward when Mikasa simply turned her dark gaze back to Erwin in a brazen dismissal and asked the question again. "Where's Eren, _Sir_?"

'_Woah,' _Hanji damn near whistled, doubting even she was brave enough to do that to Levi. _'The stones on her…'_

"Mikasa!" Armin hissed, hurriedly moving forward, interrupting Levi's mid-step stride as much as the wave of Erwin's hand did. The blond boy looked nervous and tense, but Hanji got the feeling that had more to do with the destruction surrounding them, rather than the possible rebuke the Commander might issue his friend with thanks to her bluntness.

It seemed like both of them cared far less than they should about proper military protocol, and Hanji wondered if it had something to do with their position as the first and second place in their cadet corp.

Ever since her own cadet days, Hanji believed the system often fuelled a certain sense of arrogance and entitlement in whichever recruits achieved the highest ranks as they are placed on a pedestal above their compatriots and find news doors being opened to them because of it. The scouts rarely got the highest-ranking cadets, so she had never been able to test that theory until recently when Armin and Mikasa joined them.

Admittedly, she had only known the two of them for a brief period, and Mikasa only in passing, but arrogant and entitled were definitely not the words she would use to describe them.

Quiet and reserved, absolutely. The two were undoubtedly quieter and more mature than most of their fellows but with their past as orphaned refugees from Shiganshina, that was to be expected. Even if she found the way the two seemed to know exactly what the other was thinking slightly uncanny, Hanji would never call them arrogant and certainly not entitled!

Putting the scientific part of her mind to work Hanji came up with another theory to explain their behaviour. _'Maybe this is how they react under stress. They focus more on material risks rather than immaterial scolding. Not a bad trait for survival, but not so good for the chain of command.'_

The scouts may have been the division of oddballs and weirdos like herself, but they were still a legitimate arm of the military. She would have to work on that if- no, _when,_ Erwin placed Armin in her squad.

Armin placed a hand on Mikasa's arm, a gesture of both caution and comfort, which the girl seemed to relax into, just a fraction. Apparently confident enough that Mikasa wasn't going to stick her foot in it any further, Armin faced the Commander with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Sir, Mikasa didn't mean to interrupt. She's just concerned about Eren. We both are."

Erwin gave the young recruits an inscrutable look as if he was debating something in his head. Whatever it was he had been considering he must have settled it, as he opened his mouth and a simple question spilt forth. "And why do you think there's a problem with Eren?"

The question seemed to catch Armin off guard, but he quickly collected himself. "Hanji mentioned that Eren had gone with you to the Capitol, Sir. A-and with all these footprints around and the fire, it seems something must have happened here. We just wanted to know if he was okay. We haven't seen him much since Trost..." He tapered off, seemingly choked with emotion.

Hanji knew that none of the 104th recruits liked talking about Trost, and it looked like that sentiment was shared by even the highest-ranking cadets. Not that she blamed them of course, she didn't like to talk about her first battle either.

Before her mind could turn to that blood-soaked day, Hanji felt Erwin's eye land on her. He was clearly checking Armin's words, so she gave a small, frustrated nod in return, remembering that she had in fact mentioned Eren being with the Commander during the ride. She really ought to stop sharing sensitive information like that with recruits, even if they were one of her favourites.

"I see," Erwin answered slowly, looking back at Armin with a still unreadable expression. "Well I am sorry to inform you both, but Eren's whereabouts _is_ the other issue we are facing."

"W-What?" Armin stammered, his hand slipping from Mikasa's arm, the girl having visibly tensed up again, even as the hand fell away. For a split second, Armin's fearful blue eyes flickered toward the south and the distant Wall before snapping back to the Commander with a wordless plea.

The cynical part of Hanji wondered if Armin thought his friend had deserted humanity and fled over the Wall. She wouldn't blame him if he did, seeing as she had the very same thought. Mayhaps Eren hadn't been as loyal to humanity as he suggested in his trial.

But, in a tone of voice that sounded like he was just announcing some unfavourable weather, Erwin delivered perhaps the worst news any of them had received this day. News so grim and disheartening that it even managed to outshine the fact both enemy shifters had escaped for a few painful moments.

"Approximately two hours ago, Eren, alongside Lieutenant Ral, were kidnapped as we passed through Hermina by an unknown party. Their current location is unknown."

One could have heard a pin drop.

"Oh..."Hanji muttered dimly, feeling years older than she was, as the full, horrifying picture came into focus. Eren hadn't run away, he had been taken. Taken just as the two enemy shifters had disappeared.

Now that curse made a _lot_ more sense.

* * *

**Looks like AM are growing paranoid and may have started to slip. Will this come back and bite them in the arse at some point? Undoubtedly!**

**So obviously this chapter came out a lot quicker than usual (2 weeks rather than a month) and I wanted to know what you thought about it since I didn't let myself get bogged down as much in the editing and re-writing which usually what causes the delays.**  
**Hopefully, the quality is the same, and if not, then I hope it isn't so bad as to be unreadable.**


	29. Reunions

**Well looked like that two-week schedule fell apart almost immediately but three weeks ain't bad I guess.**  
**Anyway, this chapter was a pain to write, I knew what I was setting myself up for with all the reunions I planned but about halfway through this I realised I have the emotional depth of a teaspoon so this might be a chapter full of misses and wasted opportunities, but I promise we shall get back into normal plot stuff soon and away from my attempts at emoting lol.**

* * *

Kidnapped.

The word rang through their heads like a bell, deafening all other conscious thoughts. Armin and Mikasa could see Commander Erwin's mouth opening and closing, his lips forming soundless words which could have been a religious hymn for all they knew.

Kidnapped. Eren. Taken. _Gone. _

How had this happened? Captain Levi was supposed to protect him, Lieutenant Ral and the Commander too. Some of the best in the corp. How had they allowed Eren to be taken from them?

_Who _could have taken him from them?!

The answer to that question came to them quickly and filled them with a sense of dread. After all, if Reiner hadn't taken him, then there was only one person on this island who could have stolen Eren from right underneath Levi's nose.

An individual whose abilities matched, and in some cases even surpassed Captain Levi's when it came to fighting and killing while wholly lacking the diminutive Captain's morals and loyalties. It was the most dangerous combination imaginable.

They knew he would have to be dealt with eventually, but it was a fight neither of them was eager to repeat, knowing full well he was one of the most deadly foes they had ever faced. They had hoped he could be dealt with at a later date; ideally after the warriors had been killed, and with the full support of the corp behind them. There could be no half measures when dealing with him.

But now that plan was in tatters. Kenny Ackerman had made his move and snatched Eren away. And wherever Kenny acted, Rod Reiss could be found pulling his strings from the shadows.

Apparently he hadn't been cowed as much as they had hoped for by their little _visit_ to him. Historia was right. They should have killed that rat bastard when they had the chance.

At the memory of their wayward ally and her foresightful words, Armin forced himself to calm down, to middling success. Yes, Eren had been taken, but they still had Historia. Admittedly Armin didn't know where she was or if something had happened to her seeing as Reiner must have done something here, but he did know that Ymir would never allow something to happen to Historia without a fight.

He had to believe she was somewhere safe and out of her father's hands because that would buy them time, time to get Eren back before Reiss got desperate and carried out the transfer himself. They'd have to leave Reiner for now, but his time would come soon enough.

Armin's frantic planning came to a screeching halt when he realised Erwin was looking at him expectantly. He must have been asked a question.

"Sorry, sir, could you repeat that?" Armin said weakly, practically feeling the tension radiating off Mikasa which crashed over him like vast ocean swells.

Erwin's expression didn't change as he repeated the question. "I asked what you know about Historia Reiss. I'm told the two of you are friends of hers."

"H-Historia?" Armin choked out, once again struggling to remain calm. How the hell had Erwin figured out Historia's name?!

"You would have known her as Krista Lenz," Erwin 'helpfully' added. "We have reason to believe she's connected to many of today's events."

'_Shit, shit, shit!' _"I-I don't know what to say, sir." Unsure of how much or how little Erwin knew, Armin decided the best course of action was to play the fool and gave the most vapid answer possible. He knew Erwin would demand more, but it gave him a precious few seconds to think. "Krista has been a good friend for as long as we've known her."

Even as her shock was giving way to anger and frustration, Mikasa quickly caught on to what Armin was doing and bowed her head in a stiff nod, wordless supporting Armin's response to the observant Commander. It was easier to control her turbulent emotions when she wasn't looking him in the eye.

"Yet she never told you who she was," Erwin bluntly countered, ignoring the look Hanji gave him. "Most people would question their friendship in such circumstances. Does her lie mean nothing to you?"

It was clear that Erwin was testing them for some reason, hoping to see what sort of reaction they would give to such a statement. Some people might grow cynical and despondent as those seeds of doubt took root, while others might become defensive and angry. But Armin would not play his game; their friendship with Historia was beyond reproach.

"Everyone has their secrets, sir," Armin answered quietly before his eyes hardened and he held Erwin's gaze. "I'm sure she had her reasons, but we trained with her for years and fought side by side. She's our friend, regardless of her real name."

Maybe he was seeing things, but Armin was sure there was the faintest flash of respect in the Commander's eyes as he broke the silent staring match.

"As you say. Well then, allow me to rephrase the question. Do you have any idea where she might go? Eyewitnesses tell me she fled into the forest with three other recruits; Private Blouse, Springer and Bott, but unlike the other recruits, they haven't returned despite our numerous signals. We can only assume they have left the area, and for Eren's sake, it is imperative that we find Miss Reiss before anyone else."

Armin drew in a breath at the mixed bag of information. Historia, Sasha, Connie and Marco had all survived whatever Reiner had done, which was an immense relief for him. He didn't know what he would do to Reiner if he had hurt or, God forbid, killed one of them, but hunting him down to the ends of the earth would certainly be on the cards.

However, the 'mixed' part of the bag came in the form of another name, or to be precise, the lack of a name._ 'Where the hell is Ymir?' _Armin wondered, the rogue shifter noticeably absent in Historia's 'escort'.Was it possible Ymir had simply been missed running alongside the others?

Somehow Armin doubted that. Ymir didn't exactly blend into the background at the best of times, what with her being the tallest girl in the 104th and having a personality which was the antithesis of subtle. For now, though, Armin could only hope she hadn't gone and done something mind-numbingly stupid again, like joining Reiner.

Pushing that unsettling possibility aside, Armin set about 'answering' Erwin's question, making a show of chewing his lip. "Are there any settlements nearby?" He asked as if coming to some sudden epiphany.

"Several," Erwin answered with a nod, quickly listing off a handful of settlements, all of which Armin ignored until Ragako was mentioned. If Connie was with Historia and they needed a place to hide, where else would he lead them but home?

Opening his mouth to answer, Armin was beaten to the punch by Mikasa. "They'll be there," She cut in with a clipped voice, not bothering to hide her disappointment at the two men who had failed to protect Eren. "At Ragako."

"Are you sure?" Erwin questioned, unfazed by Mikasa's curt tone.

"Yes." Was the firm reply, "That's Connie's village."

Commander Erwin silently contemplated this for a moment, mulling over the possibility, before wording his approval, perhaps to the surprise of Hanji and Levi who hadn't expected him to take a recruit at her word. "Very well, once the arrangements for the wounded have been made, we'll head to Ragako first. Dismissed."

"Sir." Armin and Mikasa echoed quickly, both turning away as Erwin resumed his discussion with his two senior officers. No longer under the Commander's scrutiny, Armin grabbed Mikasa's sleeve and started to guide her back toward the horses. Heading to Ragako might be Erwin's plan, but that didn't mean it was his.

The Commander can retrieve Historia, but they were going to get Eren back.

"Armin…" Mikasa spoke up softly, realising where she was being led and for what purpose. When he didn't respond, Mikasa dug her heels in, both figuratively and literally bringing her closest friend to an abrupt halt. "Armin, stop. We can't."

Unable to overcome Mikasa's stubborn strength, Armin turned to face her, gawking. "What?" He hissed, refusing to believe his ears.

"We can't," Mikasa repeated slowly, her free hand coming up to fiddle with her scarf. "Believe me, Armin, I want to, but we can't."

"How can you say that?! You all but shouted in Erwin's face a few minutes ago and nearly-" Armin cut himself off, and shook his head. Now wasn't the time. "We _can_." He insisted, bluntly. "We know where he is. If we go now, we'll be there before Reiss has time to prepare."

"And then what?" Mikasa fired back, "_We_ haven't had time to prepare. We don't even have our gear, and even if we did or we used our..." She made a tiny gesture with her free hand. "There will still be dozens of MPs waiting there, remember? And _him_ as well." Mikasa exhaled mournfully, hating the words that were leaving her mouth. "We can't do this alone."

"So, what? We do nothing?!" Even as a quiet whisper, Armin's voice was thick with disbelief. He couldn't believe that Mikasa of all people was fighting him on this.

"No," Mikasa ground out, her eyes narrowing in frustration. "I'm saying we should wait. We'll go to Ragako with Erwin and find Historia. She can tell him about the chapel, and then we all go and get Eren back. That way we'll at least have the numbers."

"And what if Erwin doesn't go for it? What if he orders us all back to HQ instead? You heard him there; he suspects Historia is involved in this. What if he doesn't believe her?"

"Armin you're being irrational. He believed her last time."

"Irrational?! How am I being irrat-"

"Because you're acting like me!" Mikasa snapped, yanking her hand away from the scarf.

A heavy silence hung between them as the rest of Armin's defiant cry died in his throat. His stomach clenched into a tight knot as the painful yet undeniable truth in her words slammed into him.

Mikasa's chest rose and fell as she took several deep breaths, allowing herself to calm down. When she spoke again, her voice was pained and weary. "You're acting like I used to. Wanting to drop everything and blindly rush after Eren, no matter the cost. We can't do that anymore, Armin. We promised we wouldn't."

It was a promise they had made both to themselves and to Historia. They had sworn to her face after Trost that Paradise had to come first, knowing full well that the fate of every man, woman and child rested on their shoulders. Getting themselves and possibly even Eren killed in some half baked rescue mission and losing the Titans they held would doom their island and its people.

They had to be smarter than last time. They had to be _better_.

And Mikasa knew that Armin knew that. Hell, everything they had achieved so far had been done with that intention in mind. Which only made Armin's impatience all the more strange.

"This isn't like you, Armin. What's this really about?"

"I just-" A pause; long and poignant. Then a long, shuddering exhale. "Do you ever wonder if it was something we did? That we weren't there enough for himor we were too overbearing_?_ Was it us?" Armin knuckled his eye, annoyed at the mild dampness he found. "Everything we did was for him, but it was never enough. Something always happened."

With that, everything clicked into place for Mikasa. This wasn't just about Eren being kidnapped as she initially thought, but about _their _Eren. Their Eren and the ever-burning question of why? Why did he do it? Why did he run away? Why did he drag them into a battle that got Sasha killed?

Why did he say the things he did?

Mikasa wanted to blame people like Floch, Yelena and Zeke for what happened, to hold them responsible for turning Eren into something he wasn't. She wanted to blame the throngs of different memories warring inside Eren's head for corrupting him. She wanted to blame those things because it was easy and painless, and it allowed her to turn the hurt and anger she felt outwards instead of letting it consume her.

But, try as she might, there was always that lingering doubt in the back of her mind.

"_What am I to you?" _

Could they have done something differently?

Blinking away the vision Mikasa reached out, cupping Armin's chin and lifting his face. She could see it clearly in his brilliant blue eyes, that same uncertainty. He was worried they were walking down that same path, and it wasn't entirely unfounded. Trost had still happened, the Special Operations Squad had nearly been wiped out, Eren had still been kidnapped, and once again Reiner had escaped.

"All the time." She gave him a soft, understanding smile, absently tracing the line of his jaw with her thumb. "But what happened, happened. We can't change that."

They could both appreciate the irony of that statement, considering their current circumstances but the truth was that their old lives were gone and with it their Eren and his haunting words. They might never know the real reason behind what he said and why, but perhaps it was better that way.

Sometimes a hard truth can cut too deep.

"But that doesn't mean it will happen again. Whatever the reason was, even if it was us, waiting an hour or two now so we can rescue Eren properly isn't going to cause it. This time we know what to look for now, and if we see the signs, we can stop it, okay? We won't lose him this time."

With a sigh, Armin placed his hand on top of hers, gently pulling it from his face and holding it between them, fingers intertwined. He could feel the iron in her grip beneath the deceptively pliable skin. It was a source of comfort for Armin, knowing that even when he was being a weak fool, Mikasa was still strong, both physically and mentally. Far stronger than he.

It was just one of the many things he lo- _admired_ about her.

"Since when did you become the smart one?" Armin asked, half-jokingly. It had been many years since Mikasa had done something rash, but this sudden reversal of their old habits had caught him by surprise.

Mikasa shrugged, her expression unchanged except for a teasing glint in her eyes. "I guess you finally rubbed off on me. Only took half a lifetime."

Despite everything, Armin cracked a weak smile at Mikasa's signature dry humour and was about to fire back some equally sardonic retort when a new voice spoke up. A voice they hadn't heard in years.

"What's this I hear about rubbing?" The man who had been as much as a family to them as the Yeagers had been asked loudly. "I hope I don't have to give anyone 'The Talk'?"

Hannes grinned as he walked up to them, green cape lightly fluttering behind him. He looked exactly like they remembered him; A head of short blond hair cut neatly around his face, which highlighted his thin pointed eyebrows and pencil moustache that followed the upward curve of his pale lips. An affectionate pair of bright golden eyes were locked on them and shone in the afternoon sun.

His presence felt like a mirage in the desert, a trick that was too good to be true and would soon vanish before their eyes. But as Hannes continued to stride towards them, they found this particular mirage did not fade away. This was entirely real, and it stole their breath away.

Hannes came to a stop in front of them, his tall stature allowing him to tower over their still-growing bodies with a warm smile. In his hands were two standard-issue ration bars, which were quickly forced into their arms. "Here, you two look hungry."

Both of them continued to stare at the man who was basically an uncle to them, slack-jawed and bewildered, barely aware of the bars of food they had been given.

"You two alright? You look like you've seen a ghost." Hannes quipped at the stunned silence, the smile on his face wavering somewhat at the two gawking faces peering back at him. "I'm not that old yet."

"Hannes." Mikasa managed to croak out, bombarded with the memories of the last time she had seen the man in the flesh, and what had happened to him. She desperately wanted to reach out and touch him, just to confirm he was really there.

"Yep, that's my name…" Awkwardly rubbing the back of his head, Hannes let out a dry laugh which quickly petered out when neither Armin nor Mikasa reacted. "Ah…" he said softly, _sadly_. "I'm guessing Commander Erwin has told you about Eren then?"

When he received two stiff, reluctant nods in reply, Hannes sighed and mumbled something under his breath. "Ahh to hell with it."

Quick as a flash, his large hands shot out and landed on their shoulders. Both stiffened at the unexpected touch, a by-product of a lifetime of military service, but quickly relaxed when Hannes pulled them against his chest in a bone-crushing hug.

"He'll be alright, he always is. He'll keep fighting until the two of you arrive to pull his arse outta the fire, just like old times." Hannes said in a soft whisper, "Although, I hope you two weren't planning on doing something stupid. You should trust your Commander; I'm sure he has a plan."

Held tight against Hannes's chest, Armin and Mikasa shared a look. Hers was pointed and questioning, while his' was bashful and subdued. Even Hannes had guessed one of them might do something foolish, but he probably suspected it to be Mikasa which only made Armin feel worse. _'I'm such an idiot.'_

"We do trust him." Armin said quietly, his answer partially muffled by Hannes's jacket. He didn't look away from Mikasa as he said it. _'I trust you.'_

That answer seemed to satisfy Hannes who released them from the hug but kept his hands on their shoulders and gave them a reassuring squeeze. "I wish the four of us could be here now, but I'm glad I got to see the two of you. It's been too long."

That it had been. For Hannes, it had been nearly three years since he had last seen the kids he thought of as his niece and nephews, having waved them off when they signed up and left for bootcamp, but for Armin and Mikasa it had been closer to eight years. Eight long and painful years.

"I'm sorry I couldn't make it to your graduation ceremony, but as you could imagine, Pixis has us working overtime since the attack. But hey, first and second place! I knew you had it in you." Hannes's tone became lighter and more jovial as he spoke, catching up after years of separation, and before long Armin and Mikasa found themselves smiling along with him.

It was almost enough for them to overlook the missing member of their strange little family.

_Almost._

* * *

The newest member of the 17th Southern Engineering Squad, Mina Caroline, had been watching her Captain embracing her old classmates out of the corner of her eye as she repacked the supply bags. Hannes had often spoken to her about the trio from Shiganshina, and how he knew them all from before the fall, but seeing that bond with her own eyes had brought a smile to her face. At least some good had come from this day.

She wasn't sure what Commander Erwin had said to her Captain during his report, but when they were finished, Hannes seemed exhausted and despondent, and no one knew why as he refused to speak to them. Then, almost an hour later, she had seen a second group of scouts arriving, with Armin and Mikasa included in their number. Mina had held her breath as the best and brightest of the 104th stormed up to their Commander, and seemed to engage him in some heated exchange, before walking away several minutes later looking as downcast as Hannes had.

It didn't take a genius to figure out the link. Something must have happened to Eren. Something bad.

Stuffing some of the supplies in the bag with a little more force than necessary, Mina started to chew her lip. It was something she did when her thoughts drifted toward the boy she had a crush on.

Back in bootcamp, before her friends had either deserted or been killed, they had often teased her about it, claiming Eren wouldn't notice a girl even if she stood in front of him in only her birthday suit. Maybe they were right, but Mina continued to carry a torch for the angry brunette, frequently enthralled by the way he spoke from the heart during his many impassioned tirades.

Of course, it had never gone anywhere during their training years, and there was little chance of that changing now. They were in completely different divisions, and quite frankly, Mina doubted Eren really knew she existed. But despite all that, she still cared about him, even with the whole 'turning into a Titan' thing, so Mina prayed to any deity that might listen to keep him safe from whatever had happened.

Mina only realised how long she was ruminating on missed opportunities when she turned back to continue watching her Captain and was surprised to see only Armin still standing on his own. Checking around, Mina quickly spotted Hannes and Mikasa walking over toward some of the wounded who were being loaded onto the wagons, clearly intending to assist.

Of course, it made sense that Hannes had asked Mikasa to help them. After all, on top of her being one of the more _developed_ girls in the 104th, and a close friend to both Armin and Eren, _and_ being one the best soldiers in the entire military, Mikasa also possessed seemingly limitless strength, and could easily pick up and move a fully grown man on her own with no visible effort.

Not that Mina was jealous, of course, she just thought it was a bit unfair.

'_Leave something for the rest of us, why don't you…'_

Biting down the emotion that was not jealousy, the newest member of the 17th engineering squad put down the bag she had been packing and started walking over to the lone blond scout. There was another reason she had been watching the small group that wasn't just mere curiosity or vain hope of seeing Eren, a reason which had been weighing on her soul since Trost. And now, nearly a month after that awful day, the opportunity she had been waiting for had finally arrived.

She had spent days, weeks even, thinking about this moment and planning out exactly what she would say to Armin if they ever met again, but now, as she approached him, Mina could scarcely remember a thing.

'_This is a bad idea. I'm going to screw this up.' _Her stride wavered, and Mina wondered if it was too late to turn around. Maybe she could write a letter instead, that way she could say her piece without messing it up and embarrassing herself in front of him.

'_No. Don't be a craven, Mina. You already embarrassed yourself in front of him, remember? When he saved your life? The least you can do is thank him in person.' _Mina chided herself, forcing her legs to keep moving forward.

She liked Armin, even before she owed him her life. Sure he could be distant sometimes, but he was still kind, helpful and most of all, smart. He had helped her with one of those godawful theoretical exams when no one else could, happily sitting with her in the mess hall through dinner explaining all the different numbers and sums that Mina just couldn't get her head around. And, as she had witnessed first hand, he was also a frighteningly good soldier, so far beyond her that it wasn't even funny. Only Mikasa had killed more Titans in that battle.

But as it had done with almost every aspect of her life, Trost had also forced Mina to reevaluate her perceptions of the blue-eyed blond, especially after he revealed another side of himself that Mina never knew existed. A cold, emotionless side which had intimidated her more than Instructor Shadis had when he screamed in her face on the first day of training.

The way Armin had just switched from the kindly boy who helped her study to a cold and ruthless soldier in the blink of an eye was something Mina would never forget. The way he cut apart Titans and yelled out orders like it was second nature and his reaction to seeing Eren dropped into a Titan's mouth. A single gasp was all he had given at the sight of his best friend being eaten, before Armin had just looked away and started issued them new orders, seemingly accepting what had happened and moving on in less than a heartbeat.

Sure, Eren had survived thanks to his… condition, but there was no way Armin could have known that at the time, right? To accept a loss like that so quickly and easily just didn't sit right with her.

Admittedly, Mina was aware of her own hypocrisy in that regard, seeing as her only reaction to seeing the boy she fancied being swallowed whole was to silently cower in fear on a rooftop, covered in blood, vomit and worse after Armin's miraculous rescue. Eren had barely registered to Mina at that moment, as only the desire to survive and get the hell out of that nightmarish city was on her mind then.

As Mina had discovered, when you're in your first life or death situation, relationships with others take a backseat to survival.

'_Come on, be brave.'_ Mina told herself as she drew closer to her saviour. Armin was still Armin, regardless of what happened at Trost. He was a friend, and she shouldn't be frightened of him.

Coming to a stop a couple of feet behind Armin's unturned back, Mina was surprised he hadn't heard her coming. He must have been rooted deep in thought as his fingers idly toying with the hem of his sleeve. Whatever Commander Erwin had said to him must have put him on edge.

"Armin?" Mina cautiously called his name, resisting the urge to fidget as she took the first step in her long-overdue thank you.

With a start, Armin twisted round to face her, his eyes growing wide at the sight of her signature pigtails. "Mina?" Armin blinked owlishly, his look of surprise changing to a tight smile. Mina suppressed a wince at the obviously forced grin. If her suspicions about something happening to Eren was correct then now probably wasn't the best time to do this.

Oh well, it was far too late to back out now.

"It's good to see you again. Hannes mentioned you joined his squad." Armin continued on, unaware of her inner debate.

Taking a breath, Mina opened her mouth and answered.

"Y-Yes!" The high pitch, breathless squeak erupted from her lips as her mind went blank at the worst possible moment.

'_Argh! Seriously?! What the hell was that!' _

Kicking herself at the idiotic response, Mina willed herself to remain calm and tried again. "I mean, it's good to see you too, Armin. And yes, Captain Hannes asked me to join his squad during the trials." In a tone of voice recognisable her own, Mina gave an awkward smile. Both at her own terrible opening, and the memory of her appointment to the 17th.

Despite the dark malaise that still hung heavy around the Trost and its Garrison, Mina had been privately ecstatic when Captain Hannes had approached her after the trials and offered her a place in his squad. Ever since their early graduation, a part of her had been terrified that she'd never make it as a soldier and would never get the chance to redeem herself after what happened. So to become one of the first in the new Garrison intake to be squaded up was something Mina was immensely proud of.

"He's a good man, talks about you a lot. The 'brains of the operation' he calls you."

Armin's eyes seemed to light up at that, and for a brief moment, his smile looked a little less fake. "Yeah... he is. I missed him." He said quietly, with a weirdly sombre note in his voice.

Picking up on this, Mina braced herself as she gingerly asked the question that had been burning in her head. "Is- is everything alright, Armin? You seem..."

Mina couldn't think of the right word. Sad, maybe? Dispirited? Angry? Possibly a mix of all three? Then, like a match being struck, she found the right word.

"Tired." Mina half blurted out. "You seem tired." Tired in mind and body. But then again, wasn't all the 104th like that nowadays?

It looked like she hit the nail on the head, as Armin ran a hand through his windswept hair and let out a humourless snort. "You could say that. It's been a long day."

The fact it was only mid-afternoon wasn't lost on Mina, and it was a sentiment she agreed with wholeheartedly. Seeing the notorious Armoured Titan for the first time, being charged by it, and then witnessing it try to breach the wall all in less than an hour had been enough shit for one day.

What was lost on her, however, was the fact Armin had succinctly avoided the real question.

"Anyway," Armin powered onwards, shifting his weight to his other foot. "Don't take this the wrong way, but did you want something, Mina? I'm guessing you didn't come here just to check on me. B-but it's not a problem if you did, I'm just curious." Armin added quickly.

"Oh! Yeah..." Knowing the moment had come, Mina took a steadying breath. "I, err, I wanted to talk about Trost."

"Ah." The semi-forced smile on Armin's face faltered, and his lips pressed together into a tight line. "I try not to think about it too much."

'_Ah, crap. Another great start, Mina.'_ Flustered, Mina quickly started to ramble trying and failing not to trip over her words. "Yes- I mean, me too. But I've been meaning to talk to you for a while. I wanted to- No, I _needed_ to thank you for what you did."

Whatever response Mina was anticipating, Armin giving her a strange look, and repeating her words as if she had spoken in some made-up language was not one of them.

"Thank me? I don't- I don't understand."

Mina frowned, anxiously tugging one of her pigtails. "What do you mean you don't understand? Armin, you saved my life. I'd be dead if it wasn't for you. Why _wouldn't_ I thank you?"

Armin's lips parted as if he was about to say something but then decided against it, closing his mouth and chewing on his lower lip. It was a small gesture, but Mina couldn't help but notice how timid it made him look, a polar opposite to the Armin she had seen in Trost.

"It shouldn't have happened in the first place. I was in charge and led you all into danger when Eren got hurt." Gravely, Armin shook his head. "None of you should have even been in that situation."

'_No, we shouldn't have been in Trost. Us cadets shouldn't have had to go through that. No one should.'_ Mina agreement, but wouldn't be deterred. Armin might think he was responsible for what happened, but that wasn't remotely true. It was that horrible Colossal monster that broke the gate.

That... _thing_ was to blame, not Armin.

"Lots of things shouldn't happen, Armin, but they do anyway. What matters is what we do, and you did the best you could. I mean it, Armin, if it wasn't for you I wouldn't even be here, and neither would Thomas or Milieus. Even Hannah has asked about you when I visit her. We all owe you our lives."

And she truly meant that. As much as his cold, emotionless orders for Thomas and herself to take Milieus and flee after seeing Eren being eaten had unnerved her, the two of them had gotten Milieus to the field hospital just in time. The medics had to amputate and cauterise his mangled arm at the shoulder, but he had survived and was on the mend. One of the surgeons had even told them after the operation that another minute or two and it would have been too late to save him.

Hannah was still in the hospital and would likely be there for a while. Not from any physical injuries but a 'wounded mind' as the doctor had described it. She still didn't talk much when Mina came to visit, and mentioning Franz was a big no-no, but over the last month she had managed to piece together a rough idea of what had happened after she had quit the city. Armin had saved Hannah from the streets, then he, Mikasa and, oddly enough, _Jean_ had led the rest of the 104th on some insane mission to retake the armoury, which allowed them all to resupply and retreat.

Of the tens of dozens of recruits who survived Trost, Mina reckoned well over half owed their lives to one of those three in one way or another. They all owed Eren a debt as well, but she supposed that debt was held collectively by Humanity. Walls know what would have happened if Eren hadn't been able to block the outer gate.

"Really? I thought she'd... How are they?" Armin asked guardedly, as if unsure what to say or think. It nearly made Mina roll her eyes. How could someone so smart be so silly?

Did he really believe that no one would want to thank him for what he did?

"Yes, really. Hannah doesn't blame you for what happened. And they're doing better, slowly but surely. We all are." Mina answered honestly, "If you get time, I'm sure they would appreciate a visit. And… I reckon it would do you some good as well." She added shyly before a small grin broke across her face. "Be careful if you do though, Thomas won't stop going on about the drinks he owes you. Keeps promising to take you on a tavern crawl the next time you're in Trost, and I don't think he'll take 'no' for an answer."

Once again, Armin's face seemed to light up, and Mina was taken aback at just how emotive his boyish face could be when he wasn't guarding his expressions like a watchdog. She wondered if this was the Armin that Eren and Mikasa got to see on a day to day basis. "I'll keep that in mind." He said with a low chuckle, and Mina felt relief wash over her. This was how she'd wanted the conversation to go, and it looked like they were back on the right path.

Unfortunately through, Mina would never get to take advantage of this as they were interrupted by a harsh masculine voice, which broke through the relaxed atmosphere like a bucket of freezing water being upended on their heads.

"Arlert!" The voice called, and Armin immediately snapped to attention at it, an action Mina quickly replicated when she saw Captain Levi stomping towards them with a dour look. His hard expression reminded Mina, perhaps belatedly, that they probably both had orders they should be fulfilling instead of just standing around talking.

As Humanity's strongest reached them, he regarded them both cooly, his dark grey eyes scanning back and forth between them, like an apex predator hunting for a sign of weakness. Mina felt that unyielding gaze like a physical weight on her shoulders, which press her down into the dirt and causing the very act of breathing normally to become a challenge.

In the end, all Mina could think to do was stand perfectly still, and pray the scout Captain would just ignore her. And, mercifully, after what felt like an eternity, Captain Levi just clicked his tongue and looked at Armin with a scowl.

"We're leaving. Say goodbye to your _friend_ and get moving." Then, without another word, the Captain stormed past them towards the tied up survey corp horses, mumbling something Mina couldn't catch under his breath.

Feeling her lungs gradually unlocking as the Captain walked away, Mina let out a nervous shuddering breath. "Is… is he always like that?" She whispered, not daring to speak any louder in case the terrifying Captain overheard.

The corners of Armin's mouth twitched. "That was him being nice." He said with a shrug.

"Oh…" Mina stole another peep at the legendary Captain as he commanded a few more scouts to get a move on. _'Well, I suppose you don't become the most deadly soldier in history by being warm and cuddly. Still, I'm glad Captain Hannes isn't anything like that.'_

Clearing his throat with a low cough, Armin caught Mina's attention and gave her a thankful smile. A real one this time. "I should go before you have to see what the Captain is normally like. But thank you, Mina, truly. Stay safe, and look after Hannes for me, would you? He's always getting in trouble."

There was an odd sense of finality in that statement, almost as if Armin didn't foresee them meeting any time soon, if at all. It was a grim possibility that Mina had to recognise; the survey corp wasn't known for the long life expectancy of its troops after all, yet it didn't mean she had to like it or accept it. So, perhaps in a moment of brilliant inspiration or total insanity, Mina made a decision.

If they weren't going to meet again, then she wanted to make sure her thank you was more than mere words.

Leaning forward, Mina turned her head and pressed her lips against Armin's cheek, catching the scout completely off-guard. The kiss barely lasted half a second, but it was still the first time she had kissed a boy, so Mina quickly stepped back with a deep crimson blush spreading all over her face.

"You're a hero, Armin, never forget that." She told the stunned boy, as her courage finally failed her. Twisting on the balls of her feet, Mina beat a hasty retreat, all but running back to the supply wagon before Armin could muster a coherent response.

'_Gods I hope Mikasa didn't see that.' _Mina thought, already seeing some of her squadmates looking at her with raised eyes. _'I doubt anyone could save me then.' _

* * *

Moving wounded comrades from the ground to the cart was not the most traditional catch-up activity, but it gave Mikasa the chance to spend time with Hannes while Armin took a minute to clear his head.

More time to catch up and just talk. Talk about the old days (very old days for Mikasa), her time in bootcamp (She'd given a short, sanitised version of events seeing how they had spent most of their time in bootcamp planning and preparing to deal with the shifters), and what Hannes had been up to and how his wife was. Shockingly almost everything he said about the latter subjects was new information to Mikasa since they never got the time to truly talk last time. It was a sobering experience but also quite heartening.

Between the two of them and two other members of Hannes's squad, they had all the wounded loaded up and ready to be shipped back the Trost field hospital for proper treatment. Mikasa knew she should feel at least some satisfaction at this, but all she could think about was how her time with Hannes was coming to an end. She didn't know how to say goodbye to him. She didn't know if she _could_.

Today had been perhaps the single most emotionally draining experience since their return to the past. Since they had dealt with Bertholdt as the moon had started its slow descent, in one day Mikasa had watched Armin re-inherited the Colossal and its curse, believed (incorrectly) they had been sussed out by Erwin, found out that Eren had been kidnapped by Rod and Kenny, discovered that Reiner had slipped through their fingers, realised Historia's identity had been partially unveiled, had a brief and semi-heated argument with Armin and, to top it all off, she had reunited with that man who gave his life trying to save Eren and herself from the smiling Titan, who just so happened to be the first Mrs Yeager; Zeke's mother and Aunty Carla's killer.

All of that would be enough to break a lesser person, but as strong as she was, even Mikasa had limits.

Fortunately for Mikasa emotional bulwark, Levi's shouted commands to get moving arrived soon after and Hannes offered to walk with her to the horses, which she happily accepted as it allowed her to push back that dreaded goodbye just a few more minutes.

As they walked, side by side with Hannes occasionally barking out an order to one of his squad, Mikasa spotted Armin also making his way towards the assembled horses rubbing his cheek with a bewildered look on his face.

Something about that put her on edge. Had someone hit him? Surely not, for who would dare do such a thing with her within shouting distance? Who wanted to taste the dirt that badly? Mikasa silently resolved to ask Armin about it later.

Unfortunately, however, she had not been as subtle as she'd hope, as Hannes had noticed and followed her distracted gaze. "So," He drawled, with a playful smirk, "Anything you wanna tell me? You looked pretty close earlier with all that touching and 'rubbing' if I heard right?"

Cursing her luck, Mikasa swivelled her head back and fixed her grey eyes firmly ahead. "No. We were just talking."

"Riiight." She could practically hear Hannes's smirk widening as he said this. "Remind me to tell you about how I met Larina one day."

Mikasa tugged up her scarf at the mention of Hannes wife and did not reply. However, the colouring on her ears was all the answer Hannes needed.

"Well, either way, I'm happy for you. He's a good kid. You both are." He patted her shoulder, warmly.

They continued the rest of the brisk walk in amicable silence until they reached Uma. Hannes offered to help her up, but being in her younger body hadn't stopped Mikasa from being about to mount up independently before, and wouldn't fail her now. With a quick jump and a swing of the leg, she was up and settled into the saddle.

A knot of sorrow formed in her belly as she turned to face Hannes. There would be no more last minutes delays, this was it, and Hannes knew it too.

"I suppose this is goodbye." There was a certain sadness in Hannes's voice as he lighted patting Uma's neck. All around them the rest of Hanji's squad started mounting up, preparing to join the Commander and Captain Levi on the journey to Ragako.

"For now." Mikasa replied firmly, swallowing down the sadness she felt. She had lost Hannes once and wasn't going to lose him again. They would meet again, and that time Eren would be with them.

"For now." Hannes agreed with a smile. Walls how she'd missed that easy-going smile.

"Oh, before I forget." Pulling up his sleeve Hannes revealed a strange bracelet that Mikasa had never seen before and gently removed it from his wrist.

It was an odd-looking thing, little more than two pieces of string, dyed red and black, twisted around each other in a helical pattern. The spacing of the alternating colours was not consistent at all, with large portions of the band dominated by one colour, before switching to a thin sliver of the other. Parts of the strings were worn and frayed, thinning down to the point where a sharp tug would snap it with ease.

Clearly, it was not the work of a professional and not something that would be sold in a market, which raised the question of who made it and why Hannes had it.

Hannes held the intertwined string in his hand for a second, tracing one of the frayed curls with a finger as he stared down at it with a distant look in his eye. Mikasa was about to ask if he was alright when he looked up and extended his hand, and the ornament it was holding, towards her.

"Take this," he said, "for when you find him."

Placing the old bracelet in her palm, Hannes treated it like the most precious thing in the world, carefully curled her fingers around it to ensure she had a solid grip. He must have seen the questioning look in her eye at his odd behaviour.

"There was a time when Eren was a normal kid, you know? Before he became as stubborn as a mule and long before he met you and Armin." That faraway look returned to his eye. "He must have been 4 or 5 when he gave this to me. It was his Saint Sina's day gift to his 'Uncle Hannes' and was so proud of it. Carla told me later that he had spent all night making it. I've worn it ever since."

Hannes patted her now tightly clenched hand. "I doubt he'd even remember it, but I want you to hold onto it until you find him. I know it's a poor substitute, but at least I can be there in spirit."

Mikasa stared dumbly at her hand and the bracelet within. The weight of the intertwined strings seemed to grow exponentially as she finally understood what Hannes had given her, and why he had treated it like it was made of gold.

"I- I-" Mikasa struggled to get the words out. In her hand was a piece of Eren's past that was a total mystery to her. It was difficult to imagine what Eren must have been like before _that _night, and before even meeting Armin, and she could scarcely envision a time when Eren had been a young, carefree child who made bracelets for family friends. But there the evidence was, burning against her palm.

Mikasa's eyes widened as a stray thought entered her head. This bracelet was like her scarf or Armin's dream of the ocean, that mark Eren left on those closest to him, knowingly or not. And Hannes had entrusted it to her.

Had he been wearing this when he…

"I will. I'll make sure Eren gets it." Mikasa declared, surprising herself at how determined her voice was. Since she was in her civies rather than full uniform, Mikasa didn't trust any of her pockets since they couldn't be buttoned down like on her combat jacket. So instead she slipped the bracelet on her own wrist for safekeeping, ensuring that nothing short of losing the hand would prevent its delivery.

"I know you will, kiddo. You've never let me down before." Hannes stepped back, the look in his eye now gone and the smile back in place. "Now, go and get our boy back before he manages to free himself through sheer bloodymindedness. You know he could."

Mikasa smiled. _That_ was the Eren they knew.

"Once we've got him back, we'll come and visit you. All three of us. I promise."

"I'll see you later then, Mikasa."

"See you later, Hannes."

* * *

**"Local Garrison girl found dead with 28 stab wounds in the back. MPs rule as suicide."**

**That was the AM kiss you lot wanted right? (Jk, jk. Don't worry, this fic would have unnecessary relationship drama as I dislike that as a reader normally, but I thought Mina's actions were fitting here)**

**A little bit of bad news though, the next chapter might take a bit more time than usual. I'm thoroughly burnt out from work but fortunately I've got a holiday coming up which I will be using to wind down which may involve me not doing much writing. But I will endeavour not to keep you waiting too long**


	30. Ragako Part 1

**Hey all! I'm back from holiday and my battery are recharged and ready to go.**

**This chapter was originally around 11k words but I've cut it in half to make it more manageable.**  
**Hopefully, I'll be able to get the next chapter out in a few more days.**

**Also, a quick thing I wanted to cover here before we start following the revelations in chapter 130 (or as I like to call it the 'Yams throwing petrol into the EH vs EM dumpster fire' chapter lol). When I brought back Hisu there were lots of theories going around that Hisu would know Erens plan but I took a risk and had her not knowing. However, if I wanted to change this fic to incorporate that factoid it would require either a total rewrite of ALL hisu PoVs (and that includes my two favourite chapters; tribulations and soldier's armour) or a complete 180 change in her character which would probably give me whiplash.**  
**And to be perfectly honest I'm not interested in doing either of those, so to summarise in the NTT universe, Historia didn't know Eren's plan at all. She is just as clueless about what Eren's plan was as AM.**

**Anyway, on with the show!**

* * *

Ragako Village - Wall Rose Territories

Ymir tapped a finger against the kitchen table with a frustrated sigh. Waiting was not her thing. Waiting _patiently_ even less so.

But what else could she do? Cue ball and Freckles were out getting the horses that this weirdly interconnected village had lent them ready, and Potato girl was making herself a pest in the kitchen 'helping' Mrs Springer prepare some food for the road. Ymir thought that was pretty pointless all in all, but she wasn't going to complain about free food. That is if Sasha hasn't already slobbered all over it.

Ymir sighed again, her drumming fingers coming to a rest against the cool wood, nails pressing down as her thoughts started to drift back to that idiot Braun, what he did and what she had been preparing to do. The dark memories that accompanied those thoughts made Ymir uncomfortable, _deeply uncomfortable_, like there was a venomous snake coiled around her ribcage which threatened to squeeze down and turn her organs into a bloody paste.

Even hours after the fact, that feeling would not go away. And it was all because of that damnable question cue ball had shouted at her during his breakdown in the woods.

_"Why the hell would he bother pushing you out the way? Well?! Why would a Titan do that?! You and Reiner hate each other!"_

The snake coiled tighter, and Ymir found it hard to breathe. Why _did _Braun help her?

Cue ball had been right (perhaps for the first time in his life) that there was no love lost between them. Hell, they barely tolerated each other most days, and putting them within the same room was usually enough to start an argument.

So why the hell had Braun tried to save her? It couldn't have been out of camaraderie or loyalty, for they were not friends and he was obviously not loyal to anyone in Paradise seeing what he had done. So why them? Had he somehow known about her ability and wanted to prevent it being lost if she was killed? Was the moron playing the hero or just suicidal? Or was it been something else?

So many whys and not a single answer to be found.

'_Story of my life.' _Ymir thought bitterly._ 'And what a life its been…'_

Ymir had spent most of her 'life' trapped in a 60-year-long living nightmare of unending existential horror as she roamed mindlessly in search of human flesh. And the worst part was how she remembered it.

Not all of, thank all that was holy, but parts of it. Jumbled, messy and scattered memories, merging together in an endless haze of suffering. Yet in that haze, there was one memory that stood out.

A memory of dirt, and a noise. A memory of her rising and flailing out. A target, a shove, a new target. Grabbing, lifting, screaming, _biting. _Then she remembered the clarity of a mind restored, the feel of the coarse sand under her naked body and the almost blinding brightness of the sky.

All of that because the boy she grabbed was a shifter, and with a single crunch took his power for herself, and finally woke up from that nightmare.

She didn't have to have Arlert's brain to figure out that Braun was likely part of that group she had scattered when rising from the earth. A group of shifters carrying some of nine Titans of her deific namesake; The Armoured, the Colossal and the Jaws. They would have had to stick together to make it to the Walls across the Titan infested island.

What she did need Arlert's brain for was why they were even here? Had they been sent to wipe out the last 'free' Eldians? That seemed most likely, but what about the Colossals? Even back in her day, everyone knew about the King's threat and what would happen if anyone dared raise a hand against Paradise.

"_If you ever try to interfere in our affairs, the tens of millions of Titans that sleep inside the Walls will surely flatten the entire earth."_

Was the outside world's desire to kill everyone here really worth the risk? Did the world truly hate them _that_ much, that they're willing to be destroyed, just to take Paradise down with them?

Madness. Utter madness.

And it was in the middle of that madness that Ymir_ no name_, a 60-year-old, once 'divine' leader of a cult, now found herself. Residing in possibly the last bastion of free (but ignorant) Eldians anywhere on Earth, all thanks to a power that was not hers and one she barely understood. And somehow along the line, she had found love and even friends (not that she would admit that part openly) who were all under threat from the enemies beyond the sea.

What a fine fucking mess this was...

"You alright, Ymir?" A hand reached out over the table towards her, resting palm up in a clear invitation. Ymir looked at it for a moment, taking in its familiar shape and blemishes, as the snake uncoiled just a tad. She could breathe easier now as she inspected the small and dainty hand, and marvelled at the small faded scars and rough calluses that dotted it from years of intense military training.

She loved those hands, and everything attached to them.

Looking up at Historia, Ymir smiled as she accepted the invitation and rested her own hand on top of it.

"I'm fine, love," Ymir answered, only partially lying. Historia had been the best thing to happen in her life, and she was the main reason Ymir even put up with this whole shitstorm in the first place. But with love came a duty to protect, and as happy as Historia made her, Ymir wondered how long she would be able to protect her.

If the nations beyond the sea were willing to attack Paradise even with the threat of its promised Colossals, then they either didn't care about their own survival or had developed weapons to resist them.

'_Or, it was a bluff all this time.' _Ymir thought grimly, seeing how even when Maria was breached, and a third of their land and population was lost, the founder did not act.

Whatever the case was, it meant this island was living off borrowed time, and sooner or later, this isolationism will end. Whether that be by an external force wiping them all out, or the scouts reaching Yeager's basement and finding something there about the outside world.

Ultimately a moment would come when Ymir would have to make a choice. And in her eyes, there were only three possibilities.

The first was to run. She could just grab Historia and just run, as far and fast as she could before the world comes crashing down on this island. It was the most straightforward option, but not a smart one.

For running requires a destination, somewhere to go where you didn't have to run anymore, and Ymir knew of no such place. Her knowledge of the outside world was limited at best, and what she did 'know' was over half a century out of date. Even if they could escape Paradise, (and that would be a challenge in and of itself, with Paradise being an _island_ and all…) Ymir had no idea where they would go next. She'd likely end up leading Historia somewhere even more dangerous without even knowing.

The other option was to make a deal. When the world came knocking, she could offer herself, as one of the nine shifters, to any power that would grant them sanctuary. She could use her power to fight in their wars and destroy their enemies. She would do whatever they wanted as long as they didn't hurt Historia.

But why would any power accept her deal? Or, just as importantly, why would they keep their word even if they agreed? The minute she handed herself over, they could simply restrain her and have someone they actually trusted and trained take her power. Then, if she was 'lucky', Historia would be thrown into some Eldian ghetto or camp to live out the rest of her life as a second class citizen, and if she wasn't then she would simply be shot and dumped in a shallow unmarked grave.

So with those two options out, only one path remained open to her. And it was the one Ymir knew with all her heart would be ultimately futile.

She'd have to fight.

Ymir suppressed a grimace at the thought. Fighting some MPs or a few Titans was one thing, but if she genuinely wanted to protect Historia in the long term, then Ymir would have to fight against the entire fucking world with only Yeager and the bunch of flying, sword-wielding lunatics that made up her comrades for help.

Yeager might be willing to give that a try, hell, he'd probably relish the opportunity knowing that nutter, but Ymir wasn't exactly enthused on the idea. How could they survive against a world that hated them with only a few Titans, a handful of soldiers, and weapons which were already obsolete back in her day?

The answer was simple. They couldn't.

So there it was. Three options to choose from, each of which was terrible and hopeless in its own unique way;

1) Flee, and eventually get hunted down and killed.

2) Make a deal, and almost certainly get stabbed in the back and killed.

3) Or fight in some unwinnable war against the rest of the world and most definitely get killed.

How the fuck was she supposed to protect the woman she loved with options like that?

"Just fine." Ymir vacantly repeated, giving Historia's hand another loving squeeze.

* * *

Across the Springer household in the kitchen, oblivious to her (sort of?) friend's worries, Sasha brought the knife down again and again with deadly precision. First, she had severed the head with a single slash, then she cut off the limbs before breaking them in half with a delightful snap.

It wasn't often she got to do this, thanks to Instructor Shadis having banned her from doing this during training, but Sasha found it immensely satisfying and therapeutic. The simple act of bringing the blade down and cutting off another piece allowed her to take her mind off other things such as crazy MPs, traitorous Titans and secret identities.

When she brought down the knife again, rather than the slightly squishy resistance she had expected, it instead hit something hard and unyielding. Looking down, Sasha, to her mild disappointment, realised this one was done, and there was nothing less to carve up.

'_Oh well, Sunny should be back soon. Then I'll have something else to cut up.' _Sasha smiled as she put the knife down.

"Mrs Springer, I'm done with the celery." Sasha chirped, turning to present the chopping board of sliced up celery to Connie's mother, who was creating some sandwiches for them.

"Thank you, Sasha. Put them over there for now," Sala Springer replied, pointed to the windowsill without missing a beat. As a mother of three, she was an expert when it came to multitasking, especially during food preparation. "Sunny should be back with the carrots in a minute, and once those are cut up, we can make a quick salad. More filling than just bread."

The Springer matriarch had not been impressed to discover the standard cadet diet consisted of bread, more bread, a bit of soup, and finally some more bread. Sasha hadn't been bothered by it, but she wasn't going to complain about what food she was given. That famine several years ago had taught her not to be fussy.

"And call me Sala, dear." Sala Springer added on, sounding mildly amused at her young assistant's hesitation to use her given name.

"Sorry, Mrs- Sala." Sasha looked down with a light blush as she set out to fulfil Sala's request. It felt odd to be this familiar with Connie's mother despite only knowing her for a few hours. But, if Sasha was being honest with herself, it wasn't a bad feeling per se, just an unexpected one.

With nothing else to do until Connie's adorable sister returned with the carrots, Sasha idled in the kitchen, not really wanted to sit with Ymir and Kri- _Historia_ right now. She was still trying to deal with the whole fake name and monstrous, murdering father thing. It was part of the reason she had jumped to help Sala with the food after the older woman had sent Connie and Marco to talk with the horse master of this village.

"You know he mentions you in almost every letter he sends home."

Sasha jumped slightly as Sala's soft voice yanked her attention away from the Historia 'issue'.

"Huh?" She blurted out lamely.

"Connie. Almost every letter mentions you in some way." Sala smiled as she finished off another sandwich and placed it in the wicker container. "_'Sash and I got put on latrine duty again', 'I forgot to polish my boots again for the morning muster, but Sash managed to distract Shadis enough for me to spit polish them', 'Sash taught me how to set traps. I'm not that good at it though'_." She listed off evenly as if merely informing her about the ingredients available in the kitchen.

"O-oh. I- er…" Sasha stammered, feeling distinctly put on the spot. Was Connie's mother angry at her for that?

"Sorry?" She ventured cautiously, deciding that in this case discretion was the better part of valour.

"I'm not upset dear, it's just an observation." Sala waved off the apology with a cryptic smile. "You must be very important to my Connie to get him to write home about you so often. He's never been a big fan of writing."

Sasha blew out a small breath, relieved Sala wasn't mad at her for taking up so much of Connie's letters. There was a strange tingling in her fingers that didn't go away, but Sasha dismissed that as lingering nerves from what happened at the ranch.

What else could it be?

The news that Connie frequently mentioned her in his letters wasn't really a surprise, and Sasha didn't mind at all. After all, bootcamp was pretty dull most of the time, and the times when it wasn't weren't exactly occasions parents should be told about, so what else was there to write about but friends? If she had written letters home during those years, Sasha was sure she would have mentioned Connie just as much.

She would have told Ma and Pa about how they met, and how terrible Connie had been at hunting before she had started to train him, or how he'd gotten tangled up in his own snare traps, or the time they had managed to trick Shades into letting the whole cadet corp go to lunch early, or even the time when-

Actually, on second thoughts, telling them about _that_ time wouldn't be the best idea. She still didn't know where Connie had found all that wine.

Sasha banished that particular memory away when she noticed Sala was looking at her expectantly, awaiting a response with a smile.

Her blush returning somewhat, Sasha chewed her lip as she replied, "Connie is very important to me as well. He's my closest friend, and I don't think I would have got through training without him."

'_Why am I so nervous all of a sudden? I'm just telling the truth.'_

"I'm thrilled to hear that," Sala's smile seemed to grow even wider as she placed the last sandwich in the container and stepped toward her. Surprised, Sasha took a half step back as the older woman brought a hand to her face and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "You have lovely hair, dear."

Sasha blinked, lost for words at the abrupt change of topic. _'What the... My hair? Why's she talking about that, I thought she wanted to talk about Connie?'_

Shyly, Sasha reached for the tip of her messy ponytail which was hanging over her shoulder and curled it her finger. The young huntress wished she had taken a minute to redo it on the walk to Ragako just picturing the state the rest of her hair must be in thanks to that wild sprint through the forest. And say nothing of the mud-splattered trousers and rumpled, dirty shirt she had on.

'_Arrgh! I should have asked someone to check before we arrived! Wait, why am I getting so worked up about this? My hair is always messy, and I'm a damn soldier! Getting covered in dirt is part of the job.'_

The question of why still bounced around her head, even as Sasha found her voice again.

"Thank you," She squeaked out before adding on in a fit of unrivalled genius, "Your is nice too!"

Sala stopped, raised an eye, then let out a small chirping laugh. "You are far too kind, Sasha. Perhaps it was when I was younger, but after two decades of marriage and three kids…" The mother's voice dropped into a stage whisper as she ran a hand across her own hair, revealing the roots to Sasha's gaze. "I'm starting to go grey."

The overly dramatic confession caused Sasha to break out in a giggle. "It must have been really nice before then."

"It's a price we pay for a long marriage and children, my dear."

"Doesn't sound like a bad deal for what you get," Sasha replied truthfully, thinking about the three Springer siblings.

"No. No, it's not." Sala said with a wistful smile. "Do you think it's a price you might want to pay someday, Sasha?"

Sasha's blush returned at full force at the question, and she quickly stared down at her feet. _That_ sort of thing was something Sasha had given very little thought to, after all, she was little older than a child herself right now. And frankly, when she'd signed up to the scouts Sasha had resigned herself to the possibility of dying within a year or two like the Commander had told them in the enrollment ceremony. Hence, the likelihood of ever having her own family seemed laughable.

But, as a purely hypothetical question? Well… If she was older and no longer a soldier, oh and if Humanity's lost lands had been recovered, so the lack of food and living space would become a thing of the past again...

If _all _of those things happened...

"Errm… Maybe? I-I've never thought about it much." Sasha mumbled, almost too softly for Sala to hear. But hear her the mother did, and she rested a hand on Sasha's shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, Sasha, there's plenty of time for you to make up your mind when you're older. But whatever you choose, make sure you don't rush into it. Deciding when and how to settle down is one of the important decisions you'll ever make." Sala soothed the blushing scout with a genial smile. She gave a last comforting squeeze before turning away to pick up the wicker container.

But before Sasha could even begin to process this whirlwind conversation which had gone from preparing food to talking about Connie and her hair, and finally to marriage and children, Sala called over her shoulder.

"That being said though," Mrs Springer said in a tone so airily that Sasha was immediately on edge. Connie used that _exact_ same tone when he was about to mess with someone. "If you do end up settling down, I hope any future grandkids will inherit your hair instead of my son's. Connie's was always a little too short for my liking."

Across Ragako in the village stables, two boys were in the middle of preparing some horses for a long journey when one of them went very, _very _still, as if he had just been turned to stone.

The other boy, who was just about to throw a saddle onto the back of a large brown stallion, saw this and raised an inquisitive eye. "You alright, Connie?" He asked, noting how strangely pale his friend had become.

With the stiffness of a grindstone, the seemingly frozen boy shook his head. "Nah, man." He answered in a tense whisper, "I'm pretty sure someone just walked over my grave."

* * *

There was a storm coming - a big one. Erwin could feel it in his blood.

Maybe it was the tangy taste of ozone in the air that gave it away, or the small hairs on his arms and back of his neck which stood on end. Or perhaps it was that mass of dark grey clouds slowly rumbling their way up from the south.

It was probably the latter observation if he was honest, but whatever the cause Erwin knew a storm was coming, and it would be on them soon.

'_All the more reason to find Reiss now. I don't want our only possible lead dying of exposure in the wilderness.'_

A part of Erwin wished he had brought Mike along with them, knowing full well how good that human bloodhound was at tracking people down. But with the injuries both he most of his squad had sustained Erwin had no choice but to send them all with Hannes to Trost for proper treatment. In fact, with how badly broken Mike's nose had been, Erwin doubted his old friend would've been able to find Reiss.

'_Yet another asset snatched away when we need it most.'_

Erwin shifted in his saddle, trying to expel his frustrations from his body through physical movement. It didn't work, but it did at least relieve some of the tension in his hips from this short but hard ride to Ragako which was now coming fully into sight.

'_I hope you're right about this Ackerman.' _Erwin thought to himself, surveying the small village from afar. If Reiss wasn't here, then they would only have a few more hours to continue the search before sunset, at which point they would be forced to halt the search til morning.

"This looks like the sort of place where your uncle and your father is the same guy." Levi snarked, pursing his lips at the sight of the isolated and underdeveloped village. He had cooled down a bit now they were beginning the search for Reiss, which in turn would hopefully start the hunt for Eren and Petra, but he was still being more abrasive than usual.

Fighting the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose, the Commander of the Survey corp just ignored his unruly Captain, having no desire to get involved in this new-found sub-division of Levi's 'humour'. The endless shit jokes were bad enough as it is, so he sure as hell wasn't going to encourage jokes about inbreeding by dignifying one with a reaction.

Unfortunately, however, Hanji didn't have the same qualms about reacting to the remark and happily spoke in the village's defence.

"Ah don't be like that, Levi. It looks like a lovely place. All clean and welcoming. Like your room after you've finished cleaning it for the fourth time."

Whether that rebuttal came from a genuine affection for the village, a way to defuse the thick tension that had settled over the group during the mostly silent ride, or just a desire to rub Levi the wrong way, Erwin did not know. But with Hanji, it could easily be all three.

"Settle down," Erwin quietly commanded, quelling the exchange before it could start in earnest. "Hanji, have your squad move to encircle the village before we enter. They will make sure no one attempts to slip away as we search. And you three…" Looking at the three top 10 recruits they had with them, Erwin couldn't help but notice the stark difference between the first and second-placed trainees and the sixth.

While Kirstein looked nervous and unsure, Arlert and Ackerman looked unmistakably relaxed… well, as relaxed as one could be in their situation Erwin supposed. It was clear they were both worried about Eren but not this possible meeting with Reiss.

Erwin wondered if they were either far more naive than he first thought or that they were excellent judges of character. He hoped it was the latter.

"You three will come with us. Seeing some familiar faces should make this easier."

With his orders given, Hanji quickly relayed them to her squad who set off to surround Ragako, before she rejoined the command squad. Erwin didn't expect too much trouble here, but he had already been caught off-guard one too many times today, and that ended now.

Together the six scouts rode down the main path into Ragako to a frosty welcome. Children who spotted their approach quickly dropped the ball they had been kicking about and darted inside houses, slamming the doors behind them. Adults gave the group dirty looks as they drew closer, before hastily making themselves scarce from the already quiet market square, and the stall owners stared at them the whole way with critical eyes.

"Still think it's lovely, shitty glasses?" Levi grumbled, subtly resting his hand over his sword hilt. "All that's missing is the pitchforks and torches."

Hanji let out an uncomfortable laugh as her own hands tightening around the reins.

Erwin continued on, riding up to a market stall and the man who stood behind it. He was an older man, potbellied and balding with tanned and wrinkled skin from a lifetime of working the fields.

The wizened man looked up at him, appearing distinctly unimpressed. "Wha' you want?" He snapped, swiping a handful of coins off the table into a lockbox.

Erwin kept his head high. "We're looking for someone. A girl. She's around 14 years of age, with blond hair and blue eyes, and about yay high. Likely in the company of at least three others at a similar age. We have reason to believe she may be residing here."

The man sneered and spat on the ground. "Back in my day, you lot were content takin' away our hard-earned coin. Now you're trying to take people's kids! You MPs grow more sick every passin' year."

Erwin contained a grimace at the contempt in the man's voice and the implication of what he was suggesting. Worst still, he couldn't even hold it against the old man, having heard similar horror stories about some of the most corrupt MPs.

'_Damn it all, Nile. If your division continues on like this it won't be the Titans we have to worry about. It'll be a damn rebellion.'_

"We're not MPs." Erwin attempted to placate the man, twisting slightly to reveal the wings of freedom emblem on his jacket arm. "I am Erwin Smith, Commander of the survey corp. The girl and the others we are looking for are part of my regiment."

"Ah, so you're the suicide cult then," The weathered man sniffed derisively, moving from his disgust at the MPs to his mockery of the scouts. "Well, wherever they are, good on those kids for leavin', I say. They're too young to be throwin' away their lives for nothin'."

This time Erwin couldn't stop the sigh from leaving his lips. While the MPs might hold a near-monopoly on public resentment, his regiment held the dubious honour of being the most openly ridiculed wing of the military. They might not be disliked for any criminal activity or corruption, but they were largely derided as being a complete waste of taxpayer money, a stance held by many across the walls, from the wealthiest aristocrats to the most impoverished farmers.

It was clear playing the military card wasn't going to work here, so Erwin decided to implore on the man's personal connections to the Springer boy who he had likely known since infancy.

"Connie Springer is among this group. We have been informed they were attacked by several dangerous individuals and may have been injured." Erwin offered up the bait and was immediately rewarded when the man stiffened up and clutched the edge of his stall with his large hands. For a split second his sunken green eyes briefly darted towards what looked like a small stable across the square, but that was all Erwin needed.

'_Almost too easy.' _Erwin took no joy in manipulating innocent civilians, but he wasn't in the mood for further delays today. Turning back to his scouts, Erwin pointed toward the stables and ordered Hanji and Kirstein to check it out.

"H-hey! You can't just-" The stall owner shouted, moving with surprising swiftness for a man his age to block their way when another, younger voice called out.

"Commander!" All heads turned toward the two boys who had just left the stables and were staring at them, mouths agape. The tall, freckled boy who had called them seemed to sag in relief at their appearance. "Oh thank the Walls."

"Marco!" Jean shouted, practically leaping off his horse as he ran to his friend.

'_Well, that's Bott and Springer found. Now just for Blaus and Reiss…'_

"What good fortune." Erwin quipped to the stall keeper, ignoring the rude gesture he received as he rode past the sour-looking man toward two of his missing soldiers.

"Private Bott, Springer," He called out, interrupting what was assuredly a touching reunion between them and Kirstein. There would be time for that later. "We have been looking for you. Are you unharmed?"

Both boys snapped to attention and gave a sharp salute. "Yes, Sir." They answered in well-trained unison.

"Good. Is Historia Reiss with you?" His knowledge of Miss Reiss' identity clearly took the two boys by surprise, as they shared a quick look before giving an uncertain nod.

"She's at my house, Sir," Springer explained, restlessly toeing the dirt with his boots. "Sasha and Ymir as well."

'_Excellent. Good call Ackerman.'_ "Show me," Erwin commanded.

The boys shared another look, this time glancing at Jean, Armin and Mikasa in quick succession before Springer looked at him with a pained expression. "Aye, Commander. But there's something you should know first… I know it sounds insane, but at the ranch, we found out that Reiner is the-"

"The Armoured Titan." Erwin finished for the shorter boy, fixing him with a knowing look. "We are aware of this development, as well as several others which we believe are connected to Miss Reiss."

"O-oh okay then…" Springer swallowed audibly. "I- I'll go get her for you."

Giving the signal to dismount, Erwin followed the boys as they led them to a small house nearer the outskirts of the village. As they drew near, Erwin could have sworn he saw a tiny face in the top window peeking down at them, but it was gone in the time it took him to blink.

Deciding to ignore the young lookout for now, Erwin waited patiently as Springer walked up to the door and knocked on it with an odd rhythmic pattern. _'A password.'_ Erwin realised with a surge of approval. _'Smart.'_

That assumption was proven correct as after waiting a few seconds, the door was pulled halfway open and a freckled face poked out with a frown.

"About time cue ball, we've been-" The girl at the door started to say, before stopping dead when she saw them over Springer's shoulder.

"The Commander wants to talk to her, Ymir," Connie mumbled.

Erwin saw Ymir's eyes widening, and he could practically hear the wheels turning in her head about what to do. However, whatever decision she came to was rendered pointless when the door was pulled fully open, and two more figures revealed themselves, completing his missing person list.

'_Is that a bow?' _Erwin wondered, bewildered at the odd sight before. Standing protectively in front of Miss Reiss with a hunting bow in hand was a somewhat frazzled looking Sasha Blaus, her face a shade of red so incandescent that Erwin thought she might be ill.

She was also trying very hard to not look at Springer despite the boy standing pretty much directly in front of her.

'_Ah, right... teenagers…' That_ sort of thing was something Erwin wanted to deal with even less than incest jokes. _'Moving on then.'_

Looking behind the crimson faced archer, Erwin directly addressed the person they had come all this way to find. "Historia Reiss," He nodded to the girl, taking a flicker of amusement at how her eyes widened on hearing her real name. "I believe we need to talk. In private."

Reiss's eyes darted across the assembled group outside the Springer residence, lingering briefly on Arlert's for a moment before stepping forward, out of the house and into the street.

Or at least she tried to.

Before Reiss had even finished her step forth, a pair of hands shot out and clamped onto her shoulders, holding her firmly in place. "Hell no!" Ymir blurted out. "The last person who wanted to take her away tried to kill us!"

Erwin cocked an eye at that, and he could hear Levi snorting at his back. It looked like Ackerman wasn't the only one with an aversion to authority today.

But even as he waved Levi down, and opened his mouth to reply, Erwin found himself being beaten to the punch. With a reassuring smile, Reiss rested a hand on top of the white-knuckled grip on her right shoulder.

"It's alright, Ymir, I'll be fine. This- This is the best way. Trust me." With a reassuring smile, Reiss gave the hand a squeeze before deftly slipping from her friend's grasp.

'_No, not just a friend.' _Erwin looked closely at the two, and how they were was definitely more there than just friendship there. _'A partner. Interesting...'_

That nugget of information could be of great benefit to the corp should Reiss prove to be... _difficult_.

Ymir's expression was a medley of doubt, reluctance, and frustration as she looked back and forth between himself and Reiss, hands flexing at her sides. It was clear the girl was torn about what to do. Eventually, the girl forcefully exhaled and pursed her lips.

"Fine," she grumbled, not even trying to hide her true feelings about the matter. "But if you need me just shout and I'll come running."

'_Will you now?' _Erwin thought, turning his head and giving Levi a minuscule nod even as he started to walk towards a barn-like structure down the street, signalling that in no uncertain terms that the girl must not approach if Reiss did call for help. In response, Levi simply tightened his grip around his sword hilt, ready to tear the blade free at a moments notice.

With this contingency plan in place, Erwin afforded himself a tiny smile before Reiss hurried to his side and silently walked beside him towards their destination. Thanks to this uneasy silence Erwin could hear the remaining seven recruits starting to converse, and judging from the shocked gasps and a loud shriek of _"what?!"_ it was clear they were swapping stories about what happened with Hoover & Braun, and likely Eren as well.

'_So much for keeping it secret…' _He thought before stepping into the fortunately empty barn, cutting off the rest of the world as he turned to scrutinise the mysterious Reiss girl that had caused so much strife and confusion this day.

'_Now Miss Reiss who, or what, are you?'_

Of course, despite the name change, she looked no different from when he had last seen her; almost comically short, lithe and objectively attractive (as uncomfortable as that observation was), Erwin understood how she had become a central point of the 104th's friendship network.

It was an understanding further supported by Shadis's reports. According to his old Commander turned Instructor, Reiss (or Lenz as he had known her) was a friendly and harmonious child, who worked well with others and was always trying to help her friends when she could.

However, Shadis did record a handful of oddities about the girl.

The biggest one was that halfway through her second year of training, Reiss's overall scoring within the 104th took an unexplainable nosedive, and she plummeted down the rankings, failing numerous exercises that she had passed only weeks before.

Refusing to believe the girl had managed to cheat her way through an entire year and a half of training, Shadis had at first marked this lacklustre performance down as some sickness or injury she had not disclosed. Wanting to rectify this unacceptable downturn as quickly as possible, he had ordered Reiss to the infirmary for a check-up, only for the doctor to release her back to active duty the next day with a clean bill of health.

Shadis had made some choice remarks regarding the camp doctor competency and sanity in that section...

But without a medical reason to explain it, Shadis was forced to deem it a personal issue with the girl and decided that he would give her a few weeks to sort out whatever it was she was dealing with, before making his mind up whether to boot her out of the 104th or not.

Fortunately for Erwin, Reiss hadn't been kicked out, for after several remedial training exercises and assistance from her fellow cadets; mainly Ackerman, Arlert and Ymir, Reiss had made great strides and started climbing back up the ranks. By the time the battle of Trost occurred, Shadis had noted that she was already well on her way to the top ten and that her exemplary actions during the struggle ensured her ascent to eighth place.

The whole episode had certainly caught Erwin's eye the first time he read it because it was eerily similar to Arlert's change, except in reverse. For where he had undergone a sudden and drastic improvement, she had nearly washed out.

Something told there was a connection between the two events, but try as he might, Erwin simply could not explain away the half-year gap that separated them.

However, that was not the only thing that caught his eye in Reiss's personnel file. Located in the margins of her sparsely populated disciplinary section, was a hastily scribbled note. One that only someone as familiar as he was with Shadis's handwriting and style could possibly decipher.

"_Lenz has an annoying habit of saying a lot without saying a damn thing, and getting a simple yes/no answer from her is like getting blood from a stone. If being a soldier doesn't work out, she'd take to politics like a pig to shit!"_

It was somewhat unprofessional to be sure, but seeing as Reiss had successfully lied about her own name for several years, Erwin could see where Shadis was coming from. Evasive, serial liars always made the 'best' politicians, and that's precisely what Reiss appeared to be.

"You wanted to talk to me, Sir?" The girl calmly asked, unfazed by his intense searching gaze. She must have known that her fate depended entirely on him and that with a simple command he could have her dragged back headquarters, thrown in a cell and interrogated for information if he so wanted, yet Reiss did not grovel or plead. She did not beg or cower. She just stood firm and looked him in the eye, safe in the knowledge that whatever information she held was far too time-sensitive for him to waste on an interrogation.

Unfortunately for her, however, Erwin had plenty of experience dealing with politicians and liars. After all, there were few better liars within the walls than himself, and he knew that the best way to approach this situation was to blindside the girl and knock her off guard.

So, without breaking eye contact, Erwin asked a single question with all the considerable gravitas and authority he could muster to achieve just that.

"Miss Reiss, are you the Female Titan?"

* * *

**Close Erwin but no cigar!**  
**And did you really think I would have Sasha meet Connie's family without making Mrs Springer do the most stereotypical "my son has brought a girl home!" thing? pfft of course not!**

Review answers:

xxXMr. DarknessXxx: I'm sorry you feel that way, or if that how it comes across in the text. AM do absolutely care for Eren, but what I've been trying to establish is that their relationship with Eren is fundamentally different from what it was in canon. The last time they saw their Eren, he broke both their hearts, verbally and physically assaulted them then tossed them in a cell. Then when they got dropped back in time their new Eren is 14 while they are 21 with not as many shared experiences as canon. So while they care about him greatly and want to keep him safe, subconsciously I think AM have started to see Eren more as a younger brother rather than best friends, since they feel so out of place/disconnected from him. Hopefully, that makes sense.

Isil'zha BLZ: Thanks for commenting and glad you enjoyed it! As we talked about in PM I've decided to hold off on explaining how AM returned until I have more of a full picture of Eren's intentions, however, I do have something of a plan starting to take hold in my head but that will likely be a good few chapters away before I even start teasing at how it happened.

AM certainly have done better than canon, but they developed a bit of tunnel vision in that chapter and could only see that their actions got Eren kidnapped again (and will be beating themselves up quite a lot when they realise what Eren (and petra) went through once they've rescued them.)

Traitor of All Traitors: Well I can't say much since spoilers and all but I will say that someone might get something... but that's for much later.

B4Reality: Glad you are enjoying it! I always found it strange myself how few do-over fics there are for snk (shout out to Isil'zha BLZ's fics ofc) and I thought it would be a nice twist to have the other main characters come back instead of Eren.

There was a brief time back when I was panning this fic that it would become an EMA ot3 fic but I eventually scrapped that, and decided to have Eren just be a supportive friend to them (as I mentioned in the last chapter I find relationship drama in fics to be a bit eye-rolly sometimes, so I stayed well away from Eren being jealous and stuck to him being partially clueless and a bit embarrassed about the whole thing. except maybe teasing Jean some more idk)

And as for your questions, all I can say is spoilers! But the chapter when Armin gets revealed will come (eventually) and hopefully I will be able to capture all the different reactions and responses from everyone when that goes down!

**As always, a big thank you to everyone who reads and reviews this fic. It means the world to me that people are enjoying this so much!**


	31. Ragako Part 2

**Hey all, sorry for the brief delay as this chapter was supposed to dro only a few days before the last one, but it went through a fair few re-writes. Part of the reason was that I kinda felt like I had written myself into a bit of a corner (I'll explain more at the bottom) and to avoid getting writers bloke I decided to just cut the gordian knot as it were.**  
**Hopefully, you all still enjoy it!**

**Also, I have set up a discord for NTT (link can be found on the AO3 version of story as FF hates links apparently) so f****eel free to join and ask any questions/make suggestions/or just be kept updated on progress or future plans.**

* * *

At the age of twenty-one, Historia Reiss had not had what most would call an easy life. In fact, most people would agree that she had a pretty terrible life.

Neglected and ignored by her 'parents' since birth, and with the memories of Frieda locked away, Historia had spent the first thirteen years of her life honestly believing that no one cared about her and that her one possible worth as a human being could be to die for someone else's sake.

That's what she had told herself anyway, repeating that mantra over and over again when she had been signed up for the military. Better that, then continuing to live her pointless empty life.

But, in an ironic twist of fate, the place where she had been sent to die was the very place where she'd found a will to live.

Because for the first time in her sad, miserable existence, Historia found friends. Sasha and Connie, Jean and Marco, Eren, Armin and Mikasa, and yes, before she knew the truth, even Reiner and Bertholdt.

But while they had all been dear to her, only one person had seen through the mask she had worn. Only one had continuously tried to break down that facade and force her to live for herself despite her frequent stubborn refusals.

Only her… Only Ymir.

Because of her and them, those three years of training had been some of the best years of her life. Historia hadn't cared that they had to wake up every day at the crack of dawn, scoff down a bowl of watery gruel, then train until they nearly keeled over from bone-deep exhaustion. She hadn't cared that practically the only thing they had eaten for lunch and dinner for three whole years was bread and soup, or that the barracks were always freezing in the winter and boiling in the summer. She hadn't cared that the beds were as hard as nails, or that the blankets were scratcher than a pissed off cat.

She hadn't cared, because during those three years Historia had finally found people who truly cared about her. It had made her so happy that she almost forgot about her own past and wished those years of bootcamp would have lasted forever.

But, of course, as Historia would soon learn whenever she found happiness it became almost inevitable that something would come to put a stop to it. For as Mikasa was fond of saying, this world is cruel, and it cared little for what was fair or not.

A single month. That's all it had taken for those three years of bliss to be burnt to cinders. Trost and Annie, Ragako and Zeke, Reiner and Bertholdt's betrayal, and Ymir's decision to leave. All of it happening one after the other, until it left behind only dead friends, shattered lives and broken hearts.

But then it just kept getting worse.

The return of her father, persecution and revolution, remembering Frieda and that fleeting moment when Historia had been seconds away from eating one of her friends for the sake of a man who didn't give a single shit about her. Then a crown being placed on her head, a circlet of gold and blood-red rubies which might as well have been an iron chain. For despite all the power that crown represented, all Historia could do was watch as her friends had to fight the most devastating battle in their history in the ruined city of Shiganshina, paying an unprecedented price only to uncover a truth so daunting and disheartening that ignorance might have been preferable.

And as the years passed and Paradise desperately tried to grapple with their impossible situation, her life had spiralled to perhaps its darkest hour. As despite choosing to live for herself in that crystal cave, in the end, Historia had been forced to give up her own body for her people and knowing that, eventually, she would have to inherit the beast Titan to maintain the loophole around the founder's oath.

On some of the worst days when she had been isolated on her farm, alone and friendless, and pregnant with a child she never really wanted, Historia found herself thinking more and more about her own mother and wondering if this is how she felt when pregnant with her. The gallows humour of _that_ being the only connection Historia had to dear old mum except for their hair colour had kept her going through some of those laugh or cry moments.

In the end, it looked like her life had gone full circle, with the only path left was to die for the sake of others.

But then something happened - something beyond her wildest dreams.

Just as the night was at its darkest and Historia had started to go away inside more and more, as she sunk deeper into depression and despair, dawn finally broke, and it came in the form of muddy forest path and Mikasa's outstretched hand.

In an instant, the slate was wiped clean. No more crown and gilded cage, no more pregnancy, no more loneliness. All of it just… _gone_. Somehow Historia had been given something most people could only dream of; a second chance at life.

Oh sure, it wasn't perfect, she still had a shitty past that had partially caught up with her again, and she had to re-adopt the Krista masque for a while. But apart from that all she had to do in return for this second chance was love Ymir and help Armin and Mikasa to secure a better future.

It was a deal she accepted without a second's hesitation. But when she had agreed to play her part in that small beige tent in the middle of the woods, flanked by a baffled Armin and an apologetic Mikasa, Historia never thought she'd end up in this situation; standing before Erwin Smith in Ragako Village with _that _question hanging in the air.

"_Miss Reiss, are you the Female Titan?"_

Seriously? What the actual fuck?

However, even as her eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets in shock and her heart started hammering away in her chest so hard that it hurt, Historia still had the residual semblance of mind to croak out a reply that wasn't just a confused scream. "I-... you-... w-what?!"

Smooth could have been her middle name...

"Are you the Female Titan?" The Commander calmly repeated as if it was the most normal question in the world.

Historia could have stood there, mouth agape, for a very _very _long time. A part of her wondered if this was some sort of vivid dream or stress-related hallucination, because there was no way Erwin Smith had just asked her that. Surely, in a moment or two, she'd wake up back at the ranch cuddling up to Ymir, or snap out of it and come back to reality back in the forest freaking out about Reiner and Ymir again. Or even back on her farm if she was really unlucky.

But as the seconds slowly ticked by and the fingernails she pressed into her palm didn't wake her up, Historia realised that this was really happening and that, yes, Erwin had just asked her that and this was now the next instalment of the absurdity that was her life.

"N-no!" She finally blurted out, suddenly feeling rather trapped between the imposing Commander and the back wall of the barn. She hadn't quite realised it before, but Erwin had positioned himself in such a way that trying to run past him would be nigh impossible. "I'm not- I'm not a Titan!"

The panicky refusal sounded weak even to her own ears, and it was clear from the look on Erwin's face that he thought so as well.

"We mean you no harm, Miss Reiss, in fact, I believe we can help each other. Your actions during the expedition against Reiner Braun saved a great many lives and prevented him from reaching Eren. Allow us to repay this debt." Erwin offered his hand out to her in invitation. "If you are willing to work with us again, we can protect you from the MPs and whatever it is they want. If they are holding something against you; a family or friends, we can help them as well. All I need is your word that you will fight alongside us."

Mind still reeling, Historia just stared at the offered hand with wide eyes, her mouth soundlessly moving as she desperately tried to process what was happening right now.

'_Holy crap... He really does think I'm Mikasa.' _That realisation caused her heart to skip several beats._ 'What the hell do I do now?!' _

The sickly feeling of being trapped intensified as she desperately scrambled for an answer but came up short. She could have gone toe to toe with Erwin had he asked about her identity or what happened at the ranch, but this was something she had never anticipated.

For the bottom of her heart, Historia wanted to believe that Erwin was sincere and that if she revealed the full truth, he would be willing to help them, but she knew just how enigmatic and ruthless the Commander could be.

This was a man who only weeks after having his arm torn off by a Titan, organised and carried out a successful coup of a decades-long shadowy regime, and installed a military junta with herself as Queen in its place. And he had done that because the old regime had started to get in his way.

Erwin Smith was not a man who could be taken lightly or at face value. Deciding to trust him with the truth at the wrong moment could very well be their last mistake.

Averting her gaze, Historia wetted her painfully dry lips as she forced her vocal cords to start working again. "I-I'm sorry, Sir, but I'm not a Titan. I'm..." _'An illegitimate, time-travelling princess, who is friends with the actual Female Titan, and, judging from that quick look Armin gave me, the Colossal Titan as well. Oh and I'm in a relationship with another shifter.' _"...just a soldier."

Erwin looked at her for a long moment, his face unreadable. "I see…" He said slowly, the offered hand dropping back to his side while the other slipped into his pocket. "Would you be willing to prove that?"

"Prove it?" Historia looked back and echoed his request in confusion. How was she supposed to prove it? She started to rack her brain for a way before her thoughts ground to a halt as Erwin pulled out a blood speckled knife from his pocket.

For a single terrifying moment, Historia thought he was going to attack her, to try and force a shift that would never come. Snippets of Shadis' lessons on hand to hand combat flashed before her eyes, and Historia found herself starting to shift into the defensive stance he had taught them. It wouldn't be enough to stop him, for the size and weight difference between them was just too great, but it might buy her a few precious moments to call for help. She wasn't fast enough, however, as before Ymir's name was even half-formed on her lips, Erwin made his move.

However, rather than lunging or slashing at her as she had feared, the Commander of the survey corp casually flipped the blade around, catching the tip of it between his forefinger and thumb, and held it out to her hilt first.

Historia's mouth snapped shut hard enough to rattle her teeth, strangling Ymir's name down into a low gasp. Her heart hammered even harder in her chest to the point where it felt like a dozen canons were firing against her ribcage with every beat.

"We know from Eren that shifters rapidly heal from injuries. So unless you wish to change your mind, I must ask again for proof." Erwin prompted, lightly motioning with the offered blade. "Oh, and should you attempt to change and flee, Captain Levi and an entire squadron of veteran scouts remain close by."

The _"and your friends as well."_ remained unsaid, but the warning was still clear as day. Erwin was no longer playing around.

Historia fought to get her breathing back under control, but it was an uphill battle. This was insane! How the hell did she even get into this situation?!

At the very least she had learnt that Erwin didn't know about shifters being able to stop their healing from kicking in if they wanted as Reiner had done during their first life. Or maybe he did know, and this was all part of a plan to lull them into a false sense of security. With him either could be possible.

But what it did mean however was that Historia was now stuck between a rock and a hard place. A refusal to comply at this point would all but scream _"Shifter"_ to the already sceptical Erwin and could lead to him trying to force the issue to everyone's detriment. And she couldn't tell him that his method of seeking proof was fundamentally flawed since the only way she could know that was if she was either a shifter herself or was familiar with one. Which only left one option for Historia to take if she wanted to maintain their deception.

'_Damn it… you owe me for this Mikasa.'_

Stiffly, Historia reached out and gingerly took the blade from the Commander's hand, feeling the weight of it in her clammy palm, knowing what she needed to do. She didn't bother asking whose blood that was, and truthfully she didn't want to know.

Biting her lip, Historia hesitantly wiped the edge against her sleeve with a trembling hand, cleaning off the worst of the semi-dried blood, and hoping against all hope that Erwin might back down when he saw she was willing to do it. That was not to be, however, as he just continued to watch her with those cold, emotionless eyes.

'_You REALLY owe me for this Mikasa!_

Taking a deep, steadying breath, Historia placed the knife edge down against her palm, the sensitive skin tingling where the cold steel rested. Her stomach clenched and rolled at what she was about to do, so in response, Historia simply scrunched up her eyes and exhaled.

'_...Fuck it. Let's just get this over with.' _Historia settled her nerves with the curse and gritted her teeth in determination before pulling the blade back across her hand.

Pinpricks of light exploded behind her eyes as the cold steel bit deep and hard, slicing through her flesh as if it were wet tissue paper. Historia gritted even harder to stifle the pained cry as blood quickly pooled in her hand from the red line she had carved into her hand.

She was no stranger to pain, but deliberately cutting herself like that was like nothing she had ever felt before. Was this her brain's way of telling her not to be so bloody stupid? If so, how can Ymir and Mikasa do this every time they shift? How the hell does Eren do it by biting?!

Sucking in a shaky breath, Historia allowed the bloodied knife to slip from her hand and hit the ground with a muted clatter. Blinking away the tears of pain that threatened to fall, the non-shifter presented her bloody hand to Erwin's searching eyes.

For a long moment, the Commander inspected the offered appendage, carefully watching for any sign of healing. But when the steam he had been hoping for did not billow from her palm and the bloody cut did not stitch itself back together Erwin bowed his head with a quiet apology.

"My apologies, Miss Reiss, I was wrong. Here, for your hand." From another pocket, the Commander pulled out a half-finished roll of bandages and offered it to her. "And, while I appreciateyour... _dedication_, a small nick on the thumb would have sufficed."

After debating the merits of slapping the Commander for not saying that before and kicking herself for not thinking of it first, Historia took the offered roll with a terse nod and quickly set about wrapping her self-inflicted wound.

"I have other questions, Miss Reiss, when you are ready." Erwin firmly asserted as if he hadn't just ordered one of his recruits to cut themselves to satisfy his curiosity.

'_It better be about Eren this time.' _Historia silently grumbled, still annoyed at herself and the Commander as she flexed her hastily bandaged hand. _'Ymir is going to flip when she sees this.'_

Strangely, that thought brought a small smile to her face. _'Over-protective dummy…'_

Remembering where she was and who she was with, Historia allowed the smile to fall away and cradled her injured hand against her chest. It still hurt like hell, but at least she didn't have to worry about getting blood everywhere now.

"About the MPs, I guess?" She asked, wanting to regain some semblance of control over the situation.

Erwin nodded, "At first we believed they targeted you because you were a shifter since another group attacked us earlier today and kidnapped Eren, but that idea is obviously no longer viable."

Historia's uninjured hand clenched into a fist as her fears about Eren were confirmed. Even with her expecting such news, it was still a body blow to hear. _'Damn you father…'_

"Eren was attacked? Is he alright?" The concern in her voice was genuine, even if the surprise was not.

"We don't know, which is why we must find and recover Eren as swiftly as possible. So if you have any information about what happened today or why you were targeted, then you must tell me. The fate of Humanity may depend on it." That was probably the closest thing to pleading that Historia had ever heard from Erwin Smith. It was perhaps the closest thing to it _anyone _had ever heard.

Fortunately for Erwin's pride, it was a plea Historia was more than willing to answer. All she had to do was carry out the careful balancing act of explaining her life and informing him where Eren was while avoiding any possible connection to royalty or her own out-of-time-ness. Luckily Historia had learnt how to spin a tale or two in her life.

"I think this may be my father's work," Historia answered softly, tentatively locking eyes with the inquisitive Commander. "He's a wealthy nobleman and a powerful member of the Wall cult. He… He liked to think of himself as a God…"

And as Historia gave her carefully curated story, bringing up the cult, her childhood and the chapel where Rod would surely be holding Eren, Erwin's eyes grew wider and wider.

Xxxxx

There were days when Jean wished he hadn't bothered waking up. Days which from the instant he opened his eyes was just one gigantic shitstorm with a side order of gut punches.

Today was certainly one of those days. In fact, Jean was already counted this day as second only to Trost on the 'why the fuck did I even get up today?' scale.

He should have known this day was going to be a mess when he discovered to his own immense horror and disbelief that Armin and Mikasa had been sleeping together having witnessed them leaving the same tent before the sun had even fully risen. But he soon discovered that ordeal was just the appetiser of today's gut punches.

The next blow was hot on its heels when less than an hour later Jean is lead to believe that Bertholdt had apparently deserted the corp during the night, only to then be informed a bit later that actually he had fled because he was the Colossal Titan, the piece of shit who nearly got them all killed in Trost!

That should have been today's 'main course' as it were, but Jean was quickly disabused of that notion. For if it wasn't bad enough that Bertholdt, the nightly contortionist whose sleeping dance somehow predicted the day's weather with 100% accuracy, was a fucking Titan, it turns out that Reiner, the 104th's older brother,was also one. But not just any Titan, oh no, that son of bitch traitor was the fucking Armoured Titan.

He had shared a barracks with the two greatest mass murders in human history. Literally sleeping in the very next bunk.

It made him feel sick to even think about it. How could they sit there and lie to their faces about being friends for all those years?!

But, astoundingly, that wasn't all. After all, if life had already served him up two courses of bullshit today, why not finish it off with a dessert?

And what a dessert it was, coming in two different forms. The first was that apparently Krista isn't actually Krista and is, in fact, some girl called Historia Reiss who is wanted by the MPs for some unknown reason. So that made another 'friend' who had lied to them all today, and possibly a criminal to boot.

And most recently (Jean refused to call it lastly since at this point that would be tempting fate) he's informed that their resident suicidal block headed idiot known as Yeager managed to get his dumbass kidnapped! Like how the fuck does someone who can turn into a 15m class Titan get kidnapped?!

'_Damn it all to hell! This whole thing is fucked! Why didn't I join the damn MPs?'_

Despite his frustrations, Jean immediately regrets thinking that. Marco had given him a quick rundown at what happened at the ranch and what the MPs had done. How they had attacked Captain Mike and his squad and threatened the rest of his cadet class. How, despite him being a traitor to Humanity, they had shot Reiner without any hesitation.

The MPs were supposed to be the best of the best, the most prestigious and noble wing of the armed forces yet nothing about what they did at the ranch had been noble. How could he look his mother in the eye if he joined MPs only to end up doing that?

An elbow lightly nudging into his side, draws Jean out his dark thoughts and back to the real world. It's an almost welcome reprieve.

"Oi, Jean, you listening?" Connie mumbles, trying to get his attention while also avoiding being heard by Hanji who was in the middle of interrogating Marco about Reiner. Marco had made the rookie mistake of being the first to reply to the section commander's questions when she sauntered over to them and was now paying the price.

Both himself and Connie were eager to avoid the fate that had befallen their freckled friend.

"No," Jean responded just as quietly, having not heard a thing Connie had said. "What do you want?"

In a move that was unsubtle even for him, the buffoon of the 104th cocked his head toward the other motley fool of their cadet class. "I think there's something wrong with Sasha. She's been acting all strange, and won't talk to me."

Blinking in disbelief Jean wondering not for the first time if Connie had been dropped on his head as a child. "We've got all this shit going on around us, and you're thinking about Potato Girl? How the fuck am I supposed to know what's wrong with her? I just got here."

"Don't call her that." Connie snapped back instinctually, his voice an octave louder than before. "She doesn't like that name. And I asked you cause you're always claiming to be the second smartest guy in the barracks, so figure it out _genius_."

"Then she shouldn't have eaten that potato." Jean scoffed, still able to recall that incident between her and Shadis in perfect clarity. Honestly, what was she thinking? "And it's not a claim, I **am** smarter than the rest of you. It's not my fault you're too dumb to see that." He quickly added with a derisive sniff.

Of course, they both knew that 'the rest of you' firmly excluded Armin. Jean didn't even try proclaiming himself the smartest with him around. It would be like claiming to be the strongest soldier while standing next to Captain Levi.

"Yeah? So why were you always begging Marco for his class notes?" Connie fired back with a victorious smirk. "_Oh please, Marco, my freckled saviour, let me see your notes. I'll do anything. Anything!_"

Jean pursed his lips, silently seethed at Connie's mocking impression. That was _one_ time!

"Why don't you just ask her what's wrong instead of bothering me?" He ground out, refusing to give Connie the satisfaction of seeing him angry.

Naturally, such an obvious answer was instantly rejected by the shorter teen. "You can't just _ask_ someone what's wrong, Jean!" Connie looked appalled at the mere suggestion. "You have to figure it out first, or you just look like a bad friend."

'_Oh yeah, definitely dropped on his head.' _"Well then maybe she's just sick of seeing your ugly mug. You do have a face only a mother could love after all."

Jean grunted as Connie's elbow dug itself into his ribs, an act which was dangerously close to catching Hanji's attention. Mercifully the woman was too engrossed in whatever Marco was telling her to notice his slipup.

"Bite me,_ horseface._ But be serious dude, she was fine an hour ago, but now she's acting all weird and stuff. I'm worried about her."

'_By the Walls, someone save me from this stupidity.' _Jean pleaded, rubbing his likely bruised side, wondering what he had done to deserve this today. Alas, no help appeared to be coming, so Jean had to find his own way out of this mind-numbing conversation.

Fortunately, he had the perfect plan to get rid of Connie, or at least stop him from blabbering on.

"Well…" Jean scratched his chin after a moment of silence, pretending to give the issue some thought. "She's a girl ain't she?"

That remark got him an amusing reaction from the academically challenged prankster. Firstly, there was a noticeable stiffening of his posture as the boy drew himself up to his full, rather lacklustre, stature (compared to Jean's own anyway since the top of his head barely reached Jean's shoulders). The next was a setting of his jaw and a narrowing of his hazel eyes as Connie regarded him in suspicion.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He demanded, causing Jean to roll his eyes.

'_Fucking hell you really are dense. Fine then, you asked for it...'_

"Use that walnut-sized brain of yours, Connie. Remember those lessons the camp doctor gave us and what he said about the girls and what happens to them?" Jean casually remarked, watching with a toothy grin as those dusty cogs in Connie's head slowly started to turn. "Maybe _that's_ what's wrong with her."

'_And in 3… 2… 1…'_

"Urgh!" Connie cried out in disgust as what Jean was implying finally dawned on him. The horrified expression on his face and his loud shout quickly drew the attention of all their friends (including the girl in question, who promptly turn away again with a blush... okay fine that was a bit weird, but Jean wasn't gonna admit that) and Hanji, all of which stared at the short-haired boy with looks of confusion or annoyance (the latter being exclusively from Ymir).

After a few seconds of awkward silence, the spluttering Connie realised everyone was eyeing him and muttered an apology, gazing down at his feet to avoid eye contact. After a few more lingering moments, the others gradually returned to whatever they were doing before his outburst.

Jean's smug grin stayed firmly in place, even as the thoroughly embarrassed Connie punched him in the arm and hissed under his breath. "Arsehole! I don't want to think about that stuff, man. That lesson was bad enough without you reminding me of it."

"Then don't waste my time with stupid questions." Jean fired back with a shrug, satisfied with Connie's public humiliation. He'd gotten his fun.

"Fine! I'll go ask someone who is actually smart, unlike your fake ass." With that the red-faced Connie stalked off, heading towards Armin who was standing slightly apart from the rest of the group beside Mikasa.

Of course, as Jean watched Connie's retreating form, it also meant he got a direct view of the two highest-ranking cadets having another one of their renowned 'silent conversations' judging by the odd looks they were giving each other and the tiny facial quirks they were making.

It was hardly the first time Jean had seen them doing that, but before today he had always stomped down that flicker of jealousy by filing their closeness away as a sign of their totally platonic long term friendship.

Jean quickly looked away from the pair with a huff. He knew the truth now though.

'_Fucking Yeager…'_

Xxxxx

Levi had no love for villages. In fact, they made him profoundly uncomfortable.

Many people might appreciate the quaint little communities as a safe place to live or raise a family, but to Levi, such places felt like traps ready to snap shut around him at a moments notice. Everything about villages screamed innocence to him, and for someone who was 'raised' in the shithole known as the underground city, it had long been drilled into Levi's head that if something looks too good to be true, then it is.

In the underground, if someone approached you with a smile, it was because they were distracting you from the pickpocket reaching for your coin pouch.

In the underground, if someone walked up behind you, it was because they were planning to shove a blade between your ribs.

In the underground, the closest thing you got to a 'community' were the gangs of cutthroats and rapists who ruled over their portion of the city and its residents like petty tyrants.

Ragako with its sleepy streets and buddy-buddy people was the total antithesis of everything Levi once knew, and it didn't sit well with him. Not one bit.

Even as the hamlet slowly returned to normal once word got round they were not MPs, Levi kept his hand still firmly on his sword hilt, tapping his forefinger against it with the slow beat of his heart.

He could say he was only doing that in preparation to fulfil Erwin's silent order, but that would be a bald-faced lie.

As the minutes dragged by, Levi almost wished that Hanji was beside him, yelling in his ears about her latest dumb shit theory about Titans. Instead, he had to silently put up with the curious gazes of the villagers and their hushed murmurings alone as shitty glasses was in the middle of questioning the recruits about that Braun piece of shit.

His sword hilt made a low creaking noise at the name and Levi had to force himself to loosen his grip. He'd get his chance soon enough.

Fortunately for the longevity of his gear and the pack of village children who had nearly mustered up the courage to approach him and ask questions, Erwin had finally finished his chat with the Reiss girl and was making his way back to him from the barn.

Levi raised an eye when he saw the Reiss girl quickly darting from his side towards her friends with a freshly bandaged hand cradled at her chest. _'So not the Female Titan then…'_

"We have a possible location," Erwin informed him once he was close enough to not have to shout. "A chapel located up north, situated somewhere between Orvud and Utopia district."

Levi suppressed a grimace at that. He didn't like the north much either, too cold for his taste and the pristine snows that often blanketed the land made dirt stand out more.

"According to Miss Reiss, the church is owned by her father, a nobleman and a fanatic with powerful connections to the Wall cult and the MPs they have bribed. They were the only ones who knew Reiss's real name so it would explain why Reiss was targeted."

"And this is all linked to my squad because…?" Levi urged, failing to see the connection between the apparent cult baby within their ranks, and his missing team. The wall cult might have considerable wealth and influence, but he doubted they had enough to launch two separate attacks on the military, and he sure as hell couldn't see Kenny taking orders from a priest.

After the MPs, those religious nuts were his favourite targets.

"It seems Eren's kidnapping may be part of some religious ceremony wants to carry out. We know the Wall cult does not approve of Eren's existence and have openly expressed their disgust at his admittance into our ranks."

"So, what?" Levi snarled as his uncertainty gave way to anger. "Those fuckers planning on sacrificing him to the Walls or some shit?!"

Erwin's grim expression did not fill him with hope. "That does seem to be a distinct possibility."

"Then why do they want the girl? Why did they take Petra as well? Co-sacrifices?" Levi spat, already picture the terrible vengeance he will reap on those bastards if they've laid a finger on either member of his squad.

"I do not know. They could be using Petra as a hostage against Eren to prevent him from shifting and escaping, and as for Reiss she claims to have no idea why they want her, but it seems likely she would be forced to take part in whatever it is they are planning."

With a disgruntled sigh, Levi looked over and eyed the Reiss girl carefully. Having reunited with her little posse of friends, Reiss had immediately been set upon by that tall, freckled girl who grabbed her injured hand, cursed loudly, then shot a positively murderous gaze at Erwin. If Reiss wasn't pressing her uninjured hand against the girl's chest, Levi was sure she would have come storming over to them with swinging fists.

He could also see Hanji trying to not look openly disappointed at the girl's injury, but that creepy pout on her face ruined the effort. She really wanted Reiss to be the Female Titan.

'_Probably had a whole bunch of fucked up experiments planned out for when we got Eren back...' _Levi made a face as he thought about what kind of tests Hanji might carry out with Eren and a 'female' Titan at hand.

"And you trust her?" Levi asked aloud, directing the question at Erwin as he shoved the mental imagery of those potential experiments away.

"Of course not." Erwin replied, sounded mildly offended at the suggestion, "The girl is clearly an experienced liar, but she's not stupid. Reiss knows that her fate and continued freedom depends entirely on us right now, especially with her not being the Female Titan, so helping us find and retrieve Eren is in her own best interests."

Levi clicked his tongue. "_Tsk._ Or she is sending us on some wild goose chase to the other end of Rose so she can disappear and leave us with our thumbs firmly up our arses."

Despite a small sigh at Levi's choice of words, Erwin hummed in agreement. "I had considered that possibility, which is why she will be coming with us. Same as the other recruits."

At this, Levi stopped. Slowly he pulled his unblinking gaze away from Hanji, Reiss and the other recruits, and looked up at the irksomely tall Commander, hoping he had just misheard. "Say again?"

"They will be coming with us to assist in the retrieval. If Reiss is lying to us about the church, or Eren and Petra are not there, then she won't be able to escape." Erwin answered, complying with his request despite Levi wishing he hadn't. Having his hearing failing him would have been preferable to this.

"Are you drunk?" Levi demanded to know, seeing no other possible cause for this insanity.

Erwin raised an eye. "I assure you, Levi, I am quite sober."

"_Really_? Then perhaps you could explain to me why the fuck you want to bring a bunch of damn kids along with us? I could _maybe _understand you wanting to bring the girl along, but the rest will just be in the way."

"They may be young, Levi, but they are hardly children any more. Considering what happened at Trost and during the expedition, they have already been through more than most adults."

"They could have faced Titans half a hundred times for all I care. Titans are nothing compared to Kenny. They might be big and dangerous, but they're also dumb and predictable. Even abnormal Titans are child play compared to facing him!"

"The 104th have proven themselves to be a formidable force and highly adaptable despite their age. You should not underestimate them." Erwin countered with infuriating calmness.

"They don't even have their gear, Erwin. Except for little miss Archer over there, all those kids could do is shout rude words at the bastards before they get their heads blown off. You ever heard of someone who can 'adapt' to losing their head?"

Erwin ignored the jibe, and instead focused on the main point of his argument. "The Garrison quartermaster at Yarckel owes me several favours. We can call in there on the way north and get all the supplies we may need for this operation."

Once again, Erwin's words gave Levi pause, but this time for a totally different reason. Quartermasters, regardless of their division, were known to be notoriously tight-fisted, and reluctant to part with even a single piece of equipment if possible. So the fact Erwin was apparently owed enough favours by one that they would willingly give a whole bunch of supplies to another division during a time of crisis was almost inconceivable.

Actually, no, not almost, it was utterly inconceivable. So in its own fucked up way, it made total sense that Erwin Smith somehow managed it.

'_Probably used some magical power from his fucking eyebrow. Makes as much damn sense.'_

With the excuse of the lack of gear now pulled from under him, Levi, while never desperate, was growing increasingly annoyed and frustrated at Erwin's insistence on bringing these brats along. He didn't want to see more kids being murdered by Kenny.

"Then why not use those favours to make the Garrison give us another squad or two? If you want some meat shields at least use adults instead of a pack of partially trained children, cause I promise you that if you send them against Kenny that's all they will be!"

The corners of Erwin's lips twitched into a small frown, and his eyes narrow just a fraction of an inch. Levi had worked with him long enough to know that was a sign of real anger at his sharp remark.

'_Good. Maybe that will cut through to him.'_

"I have no intentions of using them as meat shields, Levi. I have never thrown away lives without good reason, and I don't intend to start now." There was a sharpness in Erwin's voice that would have sent most soldiers (and likely civilians too) running to the hills, but Levi didn't waver for a second.

"Then send them back to HQ. Or better yet, send them back to bootcamp so they can at least finish their shitty training before we send them out to die."

Before Erwin could even muster a response, Levi stepped towards him and jabbed a finger against his chest, violating at least a dozen military regulations in the process. "Five of them abandoned Mike and his squad at the ranch, quite literally running to their mummy for help. The other three allowed the Colossal to slip through their fingers while on watch, screwing up their one actual job for the night. And these are kids you want to help rescue Yeager and Petra?! They are untrained, undisciplined and unprepared for something like this. They'll-"

"Yes," Erwin cut through Levi's growing rant with a single word and firmly removing the jabbing finger from his chest. "The 104th is rough around the edges, I don't deny that. They have flaws, but they have enormous potential as well, far more than most. Even you must have seen that."

Levi was about to reject that assumption out of hand when he saw the briefest flash of that reddish scarf Ackerman always wore in his mind's eye. _'40 Titan kills.'_ Levi remembered Pixis nonchalant announcement during Yeager's trial. _'40 dumbshit Titans in one battle…'_

Humanity's strongest he might be, but Levi was man enough to admit that killing 40 Titans in a matter of hours could be a struggle, even for him. But then again, he had never fought Titans in an urban environment quite like Trost before. But regardless of if it was easier to fight in a city rather than out in the field or not, he could recognise Ackerman's potential even if his pride was still chafing from her near-insubordinate attitude earlier (even if it was annoying familiar).

But she was just one of the eight brats, and just because she _might_ survive a battle with Kenny's band of cutthroats, that didn't mean the rest would. Sure some of them got a single Titan kill in Trost, but that didn't mean shit here, even if it did admittedly put them a fair way ahead of practically every soldier outside the scouts.

"And while you say they abandoned Mike, I see it another way." Erwin continued on, heedless of Levi's inner debate over the potential of the 104th. "The recruits found themselves in an impossible situation; attacked by the MPs and betrayed from within by the Armoured Titan. They had no gear, no orders and no idea if help was coming. But, rather than panicking and hiding in the woods like their comrades, they secured a vital asset to the corp and withdrew to a secure location to lay low for a while before they could make their own way back to us."

The scoff Levi let out did not faze Erwin in the slightest. "Even if that wasn't their exact reasoning, it still shows a great degree of strategic and tactical thinking whilst under pressure. Had they waited in the forest there was a chance the surviving MPs could have pursued them after Braun fled, and taken Miss Reiss. The potential _is_ there Levi, it just needs to be nurtured."

A scathing retort froze in Levi's throat as his blood ran cold. Now Erwin's insistence for dragging these brats along was starting to make sense.

'_You bastard…'_

"What they need is a teacher. Someone to smooth out the edges, and teach them what they are missing, and to guide them towards their full potential. Someone with an equally unorthodox entry into the corp who they could relate to and confide in... Someone like y-"

"No," Levi cut him off with a growl, so low and dangerous that it would have sent _Titans_ running. "I have a squad." he spat, furious that Erwin would try and force a bunch of shitty kids onto him when most of his actual squad had only just been lowered into the ground, and the surviving members had been kidnapped by a bloodthirsty psychopath.

"If you want them trained up send them to Mike, or Dirk, or even shitty glasses if you're so insistent on bringing them along. I am the Captain of the Special Operations Squad, not a fucking nanny for your pet project."

Erwin was taken aback by the sheer intensity of the venom in Levi's words. He had, of course, anticipated an adverse reaction to his suggestion, remembering Levi's response when the S.O. Squad was first assembled, but not to this degree. This wasn't just reluctance or mild irritation, but outright hostility.

Realising he may have misjudged the situation and Levi's current disposition, Erwin took a figurative step back. "This is not a permanent assignment Levi, merely a temporary one until we have found Eren and Petra. We need to maintain a working chain of command if we are going to rescue them." Erwin explained rewording his suggestion as to be more amenable to the Captain. "Even if it's only a day or two, I believe being under your command would benefit the 104th immensely."

With acid still in his voice, Levi glowered at Erwin. "I don't care. Make it 'temporary' for someone else. Four eyes practically drools over Arlert, so give the brats to her, she'll probably thank you for it."

"Levi... Hanji cannot effectively command a squad of fourteen people." Erwin states slowly as if explaining something to an unruly child.

Levi's eye twitches at the tone. "Then I'll take command of her squad, and she can be babysitter. Or, if that's not good enough, why don't you do it? You were a Captain once, so consider it a throwback."

The two men stared at each other, refusing to back down as they both privately bemoaned the other's stubbornness.

But as before it was Erwin who was first to break the standoff. With a minute sigh, the Commander switched tactics from asking for Levi's cooperation to using his previous words and actions against him. "I remember you saying something quite similar when Eren was first assigned to you. Yet now he is as much a member of your squad as Petra."

'_Oh, you son of a-'_

"Yeager is my charge. I have to give a shit about him unless you want Zachary stringing us up." Levi quickly fired back but found the strength behind his own words lacking.

It had been little over a month since Yeager had been forced upon him and his team both as a charge to protect and a possible threat to contain or neutralise. Yet despite the boy's annoying hero-worship, both of himself and his squad, it seemed like most of his team had quickly taken a liking to him, especially Petra.

Levi had seen the two of them amicably chatting numerous times both before that ruinous mission beyond the Wall and had been nigh-inseparable in the days after it. The two of them had supported each other through the worst of the immediate grief and loss when Levi hadn't known how to help. And now they would have to rely on each other until he rescued them for Kenny and the Wall cult.

Perhaps Yeager hadn't been truly part of his squad before the expedition,but once Levi got him back… Once he got them _both_ back… Maybe that would change.

"Then he is a charge we have lost and now must retrieve." Picking up on Levi's inner deliberations, Erwin went for the kill. "I know this is not ideal or desirable, Levi, but as you said before we must move quickly if we want to rescue Eren and Petra. I know I said we would wait for further reinforcements before going after them, but the situation has changed. With Hoover's and Braun's withdrawal, and the cult's failure to capture Miss Reiss, we have been given a golden opportunity to strike back while both our opponents are planning their next move. If we delay now that window of opportunity will be lost. We must settle with what we have and make the best of it."

There was a long, uneasy pause as he digested Erwin's request, with the silence only broken by the growing gusts of wind which tore through the village and the muted buzz of others conversations. Levi could feel the annoying pulsing of a growing headache.

He could see what Erwin was trying to say, but it was still just as reckless as his original plan, if not more so. For reasons beyond Levi's comprehension, Erwin clearly believed that with only seventeen people (and eight of them being partially trained children), they could successfully sneak north avoiding any MPs or cultists on the way during the middle of a partial evacuation of the south, find this damn chapel, beat Kenny and his gang, rescue his squad, and get back to HQ before that bastard Braun and Hoover made another attack on the Walls.

But what bothered Levi the most about this 'plan' wasn't how it basically relied entirely on luck and staying covert the whole way north, but was the simple fact that Erwin didn't seem to get that they were going to have to fight and kill other people for this to work.

And if there was one thing Levi knew it was that killing Titans and killing people was two very different things.

Even the most battle-hardened soldier with a dozen Titan kills to their name could be reduced to a sobbing, broken wreck after taking a life, even by accident. Hell, he had seen it happen before.

Before the fall of Maria, the corp had been on another one of Shadis's missions to secure a forward base of operation in one of the forests beyond the Wall. At the time Levi was only a lieutenant and was part of a forward detachment tasked with clearing out a small pack of Titans amassing below the tree base. It was nothing they hadn't done before, but on that day the weather had been unusually shitty; the wind was strong and unpredictable, and the heavy rainfall messed with their manoeuvrability and reduced their visibility way down.

At the tail end of that relatively minor skirmish, two veterans were working together to take down a 15m class which had been slowly clambering its way up the tree. Both of them had killed numerous Titans before and this one should have been no different, but thanks to the terrible conditions they were fighting in, one had strayed a bit too close to the Titan in her turning arc as she swung round to target its nape. Unaware of this error and the looming disaster it would entail, her comrade had launched his own attack on the Titan, darting forward with his swords already sticking out to cleave through the Titan's flesh. It was a textbook kill, or at least it would have been had the other scout not come spinning round and colliding with his blades at max speed. The impact was so devastating that it practically cut the woman in half, killing her instantly.

The accidental killer, a veteran of nearly a dozen expeditions, had been left utterly catatonic by what happened, refusing to speak to anyone, even Commander Shadis when he arrived on the scene and didn't move a muscle even as he was bundled onto a wagon and carried back to Maria.

They found him two days later barricaded in his room and lying in a pool of his own blood.

If a veteran like that couldn't handle the guilt of an accidental killing, then how could a bunch of kids already semi-traumatised from their battle in Trost shoulder the burden of internationally killing someone, even if its for a cause like this?

And the kids weren't the only weak link. Levi could tell that not a single person in Hanji's squad, including its namesake, had taken a life before, and that for all their skills and experiences when the moment came, they would panic and hesitate just as much as the recruits.

But as Erwin so bluntly put it, they were all Levi had available to rescue his squad. So if they were going to have any chance of success in this insanity, he would have to mentally prepare this entire group to cross that line from soldier to killer, and to make sure that when the moment came they didn't hesitate. Not even for a second.

"...I can't promise any of them will survive this." Levi grumbled, with unusual softness. It was a final plea for reason; a last-ditch effort to make Erwin reconsider so he wouldn't do this to save his squad.

"I understand," Erwin replied in what he supposed passed for a reassuring voice. "But it's a risk we must take. All of us are replaceable compared to Eren."

"_Tsk._"Levi pursed his lips and once more looked closely at the gaggle of children he'd have to turn into killers for this to work. _'...It's for my squad.' _He told himself, latching to that excuse like a child might cling to a blanket. It made him feel weak and made him feel like he was once against in the underground. _'And the rest of Humanity. We need Yeager. We need him...'_

Levi wasn't a religious man but he knew if he somehow wasn't going to hell before, he certainly would be after this.

"Fine." Levi ground out, gritting his teeth at the bitter taste the word left in his mouth_. _"This is a terrible fucking idea, but fine. But if this falls to shit and we end up dying for nothing because of this, I'm blaming you."

Erwin was lucky he didn't smile right then, cause if he had flashed that damnable smile of his Levi would have kneed him square in the groin, Commander or not. Instead, the crafty bastard just nodded with a maddeningly straight face. "If that happens, I will not hold it against you."

He couldn't tell if that was a joke or not, but to prevent himself from giving in to the temptation of headbutting a senior officer, Levi decided now was a good time to just walk away. So that's what he did, making sure to loudly mutter under his breath about what he thought of this plan as he left.

And as the cursing Levi strode towards the recruits now had under his command, wondering just how the hell he was going to do this, the sky above grew darker and darker as the ominous grey storm clouds crept ever closer.

* * *

**Well, there we go. As mentioned up top I felt like I had written myself into a bit of corner by having Erwin say no to going after EP immediately for reason x a few chapters ago, then having him do a 180ish change this chapter to take the 104th with them to rescue Eren. I felt like it was unrealistic since unlike canon they are a fair bit more green than before since they didn't go on that impromptu expedition etc so it seems unlikely Erwin would bring them along, but at the same time I couldn't just not have them go with since this is SNK and the gang need to be there to rescue their princess- I mean their Titan shifter as a group.**  
**So I decided to just go fuck it and cut through my own spindly web of BS so the gang can go find Eren lol**

**And speaking of Eren... chapter 131 was certainly something wasn't it. I won't say much since the typeset only just came out but it's certainly a hard hitter (and good if you're an AA shipper I guess). Does make me wonder how the hell MAPPA is going to get season 4 through the censors though...**

**And finally, before you go, I want to start building the hype for my next chapter by revealing that it is the long-awaited Reiner PoV which I teased many months ago. And I promise I will do my best to make it a worthy successor to a soldier's armour. Its certainly going to be a heavy chapter that's for sure though!**

Review answers:

Isil'zha BLZ: That was very cruel of me to end it there but hopefully this will make up for it.

Yeah I can easily see Yams going down the Evangelion route of ships with him never confirming either way. That way he keeps the EMs and EHs on board and they can continue to sell merchandising for either pairing if they wished lol

As of right now, Erwin is operating on a bunch of different theories and ideas not all of which are correct (as shown in this chapter) however his suspicions about Armin were more of him being one of the few people who might have been able to pull off what Reiner did with him being from Maria, having no familial ties left to check with (ignoring eren/mikasa), was present in shigashina, Trost and the expedition etc (and of course the unexplained improvement in bootcamp caught his eye as well). And while Erwin does trust Eren he is still a rather suspicious person and would be reluctant to take what Eren says as gospel without checking for himself first.

David Daniel B: I am determined to give one of our time travellers a heart attack before this fic is over and AM had there one over the last two chapters so its hisu turns now. I feel like she handled it a bit better than her fellows though at least.

Traitor of All Traitors: The NTT-verse is around 8 odd months earlier than canon so you don't need to worry about Zeke for now, he will turn up later down the line (evil laugh)

Junhuamin: Hope this chapter lived up to your expectations! And I am also looking forward to writing the moment when Erwin finds out the truth. Should be a fun one!


	32. A Warrior's Sins - Delusion and Denial

**Hey there readers, it ya boy, rowboat.**  
**I bet some of you were excepting this to be the dreaded author's note after almost three months of silence but nope, this is something much worse. A big old pile of steaming excrement!**  
**I had huge issues with this chapter; writers' block, real-world issues and just general pain with it. This wasn't the chapter I wanted to write, but my skills and abilities simple couldn't bridge the gap so I wrote this instead which to me personally feels like a complete cop-out and the worst of both worlds. Basically, it got to a point where I was like, I need to just finish and post something so I can move on, or I'm going to fall out of love with NTT which I didn't want at all.**  
**Hopefully, it's not too godawful lol.**

* * *

'_If I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country.' - E. M. Forster_

* * *

Several Months Ago

Bootcamp - Boy's Barracks

_Night-time in the barracks was never truly quiet. There was always a muffled din of snoring or the shifting of scratchy sheets. When the wind was blowing there was also the low creaking of the building's timbers._

_Almost all the boys had become desensitised to these sounds during their years sleeping here, to the point where some of them could probably sleep through a small explosion if they had a particularly heavy day of training under their belts._

_On this night, however, there were still two boys who hadn't quite reached that nirvana of unconsciousness yet._

"_Hey, Eren. You still up?" Reiner whispered across the bunks at his friend, ironically growing tired of failing to fall asleep. He had heard Eren shifting around a lot recently, which generally meant he was struggling to sleep just as much._

_With a long breath, Eren turned his head to meet Reiner's gaze, breaking his unseeing stare at the barrack's roof. "Yeah." He mumbled, aware they were probably the only two still awake. "What's up?"_

"_Did… Did I do something to piss Armin off?" Reiner asked, cautiously eying the faint outline of the sleeping blond several beds over._

"_Huh? What do you mean?" Eren twisted his whole body over, also sparing a quick look at his friend before looking back at Reiner._

_"Well, you know how we were paired up today, right?" Eren nodded at his question. "He only said about three words to me during the thing, and it sounded like each one was being forced out of him." Reiner sighed. "I get the feeling he's been mad at me for a while, but today was an eye-opener. Hell, I talked with Ymir more today than I did with him."_

_Of course, his 'talk' with Ymir was more a bunch of insults being thrown back and forth, but there had never been any love lost between them. Armin, however, was a different case. They had been friends or at least acquaintances at the start of training, then it just seemed to fall apart out of nowhere._

"_So, I was wondering if he mentioned anything to you about it? Whatever it is I want to make it up to him, as I'll probably need his brains on my side when those theory exams come round."_

_Eren was quiet for a long moment, and he averted his gaze, lightly chewing on his lower lip. At first, Reiner thought he had hit the nail on the head, and that Armin had told Eren what was up. However, when Eren eventually answered, it wasn't what Reiner was expecting at all._

"_I… I don't know, Reiner." Even in a low whisper, Eren's voice was strikingly sombre, a completely alien sound for the impassioned teen. "We used to tell each other everything but recently..." The green-eyed teen trailed off, causing Reiner to raise an eye. He can't recall ever hearing Eren so unsure about something, not even after his disastrous first attempt at 3DM._

_Reiner had just been trying to find out why Armin didn't like him, but it looks like he's stumbled on another problem. And that meant it was time for him to help his friend. "But recently…?" He quietly probed._

_If it wasn't for the darkness in the barracks, Reiner would have seen the faint redness around Eren's ears, but he did hear the forceful exhale that escaped Eren's lips. "…You remember what you asked me when we were out in Trost for remembrance night? About Armin and Mikasa?"_

_Reiner furrowed his brow at the seemingly random question, and quickly thought back to that night, (or at least the parts he could that weren't lost to the alcohol). It took a moment, but Reiner soon remembered the question he had asked._

"_Oh..." He breathed out, starting to see where Eren was going with this._

_Turning his head, Reiner checked Bert was still asleep before quietly slipping from their shared bunk and padding barefoot over to Eren's. Switching beds during the night was a semi-regular occurrence in the boy's barracks, in line with their unspoken rules about the occasional need for privacy, so no one would bat an eye if they saw him bunking with Eren._

_It also made for a convenient excuse to continue a meaningful late-night talk without having to whisper at each other across the room._

"_Shove over." He murmured, before dropping down next to Eren. He could tell this was it was bothering Eren a lot, and Reiner hated to see one of his friends in distress. "I'm guessing I was right then... How did you find out?" He asked once he had settled back down._

_It was a lot easier to find a comfortable position here than when he had been resting next to Bertholdt, especially since the lanky teen had started his nightly dance. He cared for Bert immensely and would happily give his life for him, but so help him, if Reiner gets another elbow or knee dug into places where no elbows or knees should be tonight he was going to scream._

_Eren sighed, gripping his pillow in a fist. "I- I overheard them talking a few weeks back." Now closer to Eren, Reiner could see through the darkness at how the redness around Eren's ears quickly spread to the rest of his face. "They were talking about... doing it."_

_Reiner's eyes widened in surprise before he turned to look at the sleeping guy in question. A grin broke across his face as he heard Armin snoozing away, oblivious to the world. Of all the guys in the barracks to get to that stage, he never expected Armin to be the first. Hell, as far as Reiner was aware, not even Franz had reached that stage yet, and he had been with Hannah practically since they started training._

'_Good on ya, Armin.' He thought, proud of the blond boy. The blond man. He wasn't going to let whatever the issue was between them get in the way of him congratulating a brother in arms like Armin for that success._

_Turning back to Eren, his wide grin quickly faded away at the look on Eren's face. He didn't look jealous as some small part of Reiner might have suspected, but instead he just looked uncomfortable, and a little bit hurt._

"_You don't approve?" Reiner asked, neither accusatory nor confrontational. He wasn't going to jump to conclusions with only a fraction of the picture to work with._

_"What?! No!" Eren hissed quietly, face morphing into an expression of annoyance. "I mean no, I don't disapprove, it's just… Argh! Look it's weird, alright. They're my friends, and I want them to be happy. It's just-" The usually hotblooded boy visibly deflated and made an idle gesture with his hand, unsure how to put his feelings into words but trying nonetheless. "This must have been going on for a while, but they still haven't said anything to me."_

_Fortunately, Reiner was a fraction more intuned with his emotional side. "You're annoyed they didn't tell you, and that they went behind your back."_

"_I guess," Eren answered with a half shrug. "I know it's stupid, and that they're free to do what they want, but they both seem so different since we started training. Sometimes it feels like they're not the same people I grew up with..."_

_Reiner could get that, perhaps not to the same extent, but he got it. Bert had changed since Annie's desertion, growing quieter and more distance, even from him. Some days Bert barely talked to him as well, seemingly preferring the company of his own mind than him._

_It kind of hurt if Reiner was honest, but he knew that Bert had a thing for Annie, so it had hit him harder than most. He knew Bert would bounce back eventually so Reiner decided to just support him when he could, but also give his close friend the space he so clearly needed._

_"I get that." He nodded, cocking his head at Bertholdt, trusting Eren would get his point. "But we've all changed since we signed up, Eren. That's just part of life. I know it can't be easy, but try not to let it get to ya. They are still your mates, and maybe the reason why they haven't said anything is that they aren't sure themselves. Just give them some time, they'll come around eventually."_

"_Yeah, you're probably right." Eren conceded quietly, the worry in his eyes starting to fade. "I don't want to make it more awkward by asking. It's just strange to think of them doing stuff like that."_

_Reiner sounded his agreement with a low hum, proud of his young friend. While Eren probably didn't realise it himself, he had changed as well over the two years Reiner had known him. It was a small change and a fairly subtle one at that, but Eren had matured somewhat since their enrollment. Now he could very occasionally get insulted by Jean without kicking off into a full-on fight. It was a drastic improvement in Reiner's eyes, especially when compared to those first few months of training._

_Of course, a big part of that change came from Shadis literally beating some maturity into the two of them, but an improvement is an improvement, regardless of its origin._

_"I often am," Reiner told the brunette, lightly punching his shoulder with a smug smile. "But if you ever need some space, feel free to sit or train with me. Even if you are loud as hell sometimes, you'll always be my mate, Eren."_

_"I'm not loud!" Eren loudly whispered, before hushing himself with a sigh. "...and I might take you up on that sometime."_

_The two boys fell quiet, each processing what had been said._

'_Damn, this got heavy fast.' Reiner silently mused, 'I only wanted to find out why Armin doesn't like me… but I'm glad I found this out instead. Must have been really chewing Eren up inside.'_

_Not wanting to leave this late-night conversation on such a deep note, Reiner decided to lift the mood slightly with a joke, momentarily forgetting how clueless Eren could be._

_"And you know, if you're really feeling left out, you could always ask to join them. I'm sure they wouldn't say no. You three are closer than most friends, after all."_

_Eren just blinked, then frowned. "Wouldn't that make me a third wheel if I joined them on dates and stuff? I don't want to make it more awkward."_

'_Not the sort of three-person activity I was getting at Eren…' Reiner sighed mentally. His legendary humour and wit wasted. "Ah, good point, just ignore me. Anyway, we should try and get some shut-eye before Shadis's next round of torture."_

"_Good idea, I've heard it's more survival training. Marching through the forest and camping or some shit." Eren grumbled, rolling onto his other side to get comfy. "G'night Reiner… and thanks. I knew I could always count on you."_

_"Don't mention it, man. See you in the morning." Reiner whispered back, also turning over, so they were back to back before closing his eyes and gradually letting his dreams take him from the waking world._

_While he may have not gotten an answer to the Armin question, Reiner was satisfied that he had helped Eren with his problem. He slept that night with a small, proud smile on his face._

_After all, putting the needs of others in front of yourself is what being a good friend and a soldier is all about._

_And that's precisely what Reiner was._

* * *

Present day

Several hours after Armoured Titan sighting

It was the worst storm in living memory. From the mansions of Mitras to the still war-torn homes of Trost, hatches are battened down, windows hastily barricaded and doors firmly secured. And all anyone could do after that was huddle in a room for the night and pray.

Pray that their windows would survive. Pray that their roof would stay attached. Pray that their walls were strong enough to stand up to the howling wind as it relentlessly slammed into anything that dared to stick out of the ground.

Wood creaked and groaned, stone vibrated, and glass rattled and cracked.

A few miles north of Ragako a clandestine operation was forced to stop and seek shelter in an abandoned tower when the elements became too fierce even for the hardiest of humanity's defenders to endure.

In Mitras, four men sat around the table in a shadowy room in the heart of the Royal Palace, occasionally sparing glances at the two empty seats belonging to their King and his insane lapdog, wondering where they had gone.

And in the Commander's office of the survey corp headquarters, Humanity's most loyal assistant could barely hear himself think as the storm raged outside. In his pale shaking hands was a letter written in his Commander's hand, and delivered to him personally by a weather-battered messenger from the Garrison. He read it again and again, as a pit grew in his stomach.

'_Something has come up. We won't be returning to HQ for several days. Mike injured, currently recovering at Trost. You have command until we return, Moblit. Hanji made the right call picking you. - E.S.'_

His hand reached toward the bottle on the table, but he stopped himself and instead rose to his feet. There was work to do, and he wasn't going to let Erwin down. He wasn't going to let Hanji down.

But far to the south, over Wall Rose, and beyond the Titans and lands that were lost, stood Wall Maria, the once-mighty shield that guarded the realm, now broken open and useless. Here, over this fallen bastion of man, was where the storm hit hardest, unleashing its full fury, causing even the Wall itself to tremble and vibrate under the primal forces of nature being unleashed against it.

Bolts of lightning struck the ground and the trees, setting fires only for them to be quickly doused by the torrential rain. Wildlife, both big and small, predator or prey, desperately sought shelter, cowering under trees, digging deep into their burrows or seeking the refuge of a cave. Even the Titans seemed to be cowed by the storm, forcing the largest ones to lean into the wind to continue their relentless march towards Wall Rose while the smaller, less capable Titans were lifted clean off their feet and tossed about like leaves by the howling winds.

It was a tremendous display of nature's power and one that almost went unwitnessed. _Almost._

Even over the near-deafening wind, the sound of slow thudding footfalls could be heard echoing through the forest. The ground shook and trees trembled as great gouges were torn from the earth with every step.

The Armoured Titan stomped through the woods towards its destination, uncaring of the clear tracks it was leaving behind with its dragging feet. The once-imposing Titan was a shell of its former self. Gaunt and emaciated, and perhaps most striking, missing most of its protective covering and exposing the vulnerable withered muscles beneath.

It had to shed its armoured plating almost two hours ago to even have the chance of making it this far, and even then this journey had pushed the Titan to its very limits. Steam was rising from its naked form, not from its accelerated healing, but from its own body starting to break down and disintegrate from the impossible strain.

It was only the knowledge of just how close its destination was that kept the Titan going.

Ahead, through the darkness and gloom, the Titan could see the forest starting to thin out, signalling its imminent arrival. Digging deep into its almost spent reserves of energy, the armourless Armoured Titan managed to pick up the pace from its exhausted crawl to a manic stumble as it pushed itself onwards. After a minute or two of swaying like a drunkard and crashing into trees, it finally broke out of the woods and stood aloft in an open plain. Bright red eyes were locked onto the sight before it, taking it all in.

Were it capable of doing so, the Titan would have breathed a sigh of relief. It had never held this form for so long before, especially with its newfound… _handicap_… but through sheer determination, will and shedding as much weight as possible, the Armoured Titan had made it.

The moment of reflection was broken but a loud, fleshy tear, as the Titan's left arm sheared off at the shoulder, crashing to the ground with a thud. Nearly falling over from the sudden weight change, the Titan stared at the detached limb for a moment, before looking back at the rapidly dissolving stump it had fallen from.

_Just _made it.

* * *

_He was falling. Faster and further than ever before. He fell like a stone, plummeting endlessly as he twisted and rolled over and over again, spinning endlessly down this bottomless pit._

_Human skulls lined the walls of the pit, encircling around and stacked on top of each other. There were thousands. Millions. Billions._

_Some were big, some were small. Some were whole and shapely, smooth and ivory white. Others were broken and deformed, weathered and stained. _

_He fell deeper and deeper until the skulls had started to break down, crushed and ground into fine powder under the colossal weight above. Before long, all he could see was just fragments and grains of bone mixing together in the walls until it looked like they were made from nothing more than silt and sand, and that was when he finally saw the bottom of the pit, rapidly rising to meet his falling body._

_It looked like an impossibly vast pool of blood, covering swirling crimson eddies and boiling with roiling red waves that reached miles high. He barely had to recognise what he was seeing before he smashed into the blood like a bullet, sinking into the sticky red fluid like a stone._

_He floats in the scarlet ocean for a moment, trying to regain his bearings before realising he could no longer breath. Panic sets in and he starts to desperately kick his legs and swing his arms like oars, trying to swim back up._

_He kicks and rows, and kicks and rows, until he nearly reaches the surface. He's so close that with the next row his arms, his blood-soaked hands breach the top and for the briefest of moments he could feel the gentle caress of fresh air against his skin._

_It was the closest he ever came to freedom._

_Moments before his head can join his hands out of the blood, something from the darkness below reaches out and grabs his ankle, stopping him dead. He tries to kick it off, but the thing has a grip like iron and starts to drag him back down into the scarlet ocean._

_Deeper and deeper it pulls him, even as he continues to fight against it. The pressure grows against his chest, compressing his burning lungs. His heart was hammering, increasing in intensity and speed, like a bird trapped in a cage. His throat seared in agony with the rising pressure of trapped air, which pressed against his mouth. A few precious bubbles of air escaped the corner of his lips and then a few more._

_With a final futile kick, he gave in to the building pressure, and his mouth snapped open, searching for a breath of air, only to inhale hot, coppery blood which flooded his mouth and passed down his throat into his lungs as the last vestiges of oxygen were forced out with an anguished scream._

_Slowly, the desperate erratic jerking of his arms and legs ceased, as the last bubbles of air left his body. He stopped screaming and thrashing, allowing the blood to hold his body as he sunk ever deeper. His body was numb and unresponsive, and his vision had started to cloud over with darkness._

_This was it._

_This was the end._

_Resigned to his fate, he closed his eyes and waited for the numbing hands of death to suck away every last piece of life left in him._

_His last thoughts were not ones of regrets, or dreams or even of family or friends, but of a radiant sunrise, dazzling and beautiful, shining over a field of endless golden grass._

_It was a peaceful thought to die with._

* * *

what are you doing?

you promised

reiner

get up

its time to go home

* * *

Reiner shot up, hand clutched against his rapidly beating heart as he gasped for air like a man starved of oxygen. A cold sweat coats his brow and the back of his neck, profusely trailing down his clammy skin and pooling in the collar of his shirt.

It was dark. Very dark. And cold. So cold in fact that every breath he takes comes with a burning sensation in his throat and lungs as the freezing air passes into them. When he breathes out, it takes the form of a misty cloud which hangs in front of his face for a moment before dissipating away.

For a moment, his head felt empty and hollow, like a blank canvas ready to be filled. In a slow trickle, memories started to fill in his consciousness. There was a ranch and breakfast, and a card game. He remembered his friends and comrades, and how they had all been waiting for something. What had it been? More training?

Yes, that was it. They were going to be tested to see what squad they would be joining. He needed to put his best foot forward.

But there was more.

Something had happened. Something bad...

The MPs!

The MPs had attacked them, beating up the veterans and threatening to take Krista away for some unknown reason. Bastards.

Reiner could remember confronting them, but everything started to get hazy and muddled, like looking in a broken mirror and seeing only fragments of your reflection.

He remembered an argument, between himself, the MPs and- and _Ymir_. She had been beside him, even though he told her to stay with Krista. She had been acting stupid, purposefully trying to piss the MPs off, until… Until the leading MP had lifted his rifle and fired it at Ymir. And he had tried to push her out the way.

Reiner's mouth went bone dry, and his throat locked up tight, trapping the freezing air in his chest. With hands trembling at his side, and a growing pit in his stomach, Reiner listlessly inclined his head and looked down at his chest.

A strange high pitched wheezing sound escaped his tightly pressed lips as stared, horrified, at the massive bloodstain covering his shirt, the once white cotton now ruddy brown.

With unthinking impulsiveness, Reiner brought a pale shaking hand to his shirt and brushed his fingertips against the dried blood, checking it was really there. Some part of Reiner expected mind-rending agony to explode into existence at the faint touch, but to his own dumbfounded shock, Reiner felt nothing as he probed at the ruined material. There wasn't even a stab of discomfort as he poked at the stiff, dried blood.

'_Am- am I dead?'_ Reiner wondered, fighting against the lump forming in his throat.

Any injury that could cause that much blood loss had to be fatal, right? He must have successfully pushed Ymir out of the way and taken the bullet himself, and this cold, dark place he found himself in was some kind of afterlife. That would explain why he wasn't feeling any pain from what should have been a horrific injury.

But, if that was the case and he was dead, why could he still feel the chill of the frigid air against his skin? Why were his legs sore and stiff from lying on the hard stone floor? Why was his heart still thundering in his chest?

What sort of afterlife would let him feel some pain and discomfort but not all? What was the point of that?

Was it possible that he was somehowstillalive?

The shaking in hand grew worse as Reiner gripped the hem of his shirt and after forcing out a long rattling breath, he lifted it up all the way to his collar, exposing his bare, unmarked chest and unblemished skin to his searching gaze.

Reiner froze at the sight, his only reaction being a simple blink of his vacant eyes, his mind unable to even comprehend what it was seeing. There wasn't a single mark on him, not one cut, graze or bruise. Hell, there was barely any blood on his skin either, only a handful of dried flakes which dotted his chest like spots.

It was impossible, totally and utterly impossible. So impossible in fact that it hurt his head to look at. It was a sharp, throbbing pain in the base of his skull and behind his eyes, like something was trying to break out.

With another shaky breath, Reiner forced himself to look away, letting his shirt drop back down, as the stabbing sensation slowly faded away as he attempted to explain the impossible.

Maybe he was imagining things, and his memories were flawed. Reiner was sure he had successfully pushed Ymir out of the way, but he had heard somewhere that sometimes when a person is exposed to a traumatic, high-stress situation their memories of the event can be inaccurate, or even flat out wrong. He didn't quite believe it at the time, and certainly never expected it would happen to him, (he was strong dammit! One of the strongest people in the 104th! He wasn't the sort to lose his mind and go crazy.) but that seemed to be the only possible explanation.

He must have _tried_ to push Ymir out the way but hadn't been fast enough to save her. And the blood he was covered in wasn't his at all, but hers - a morbid testament to his failure.

If it wasn't so cold, Reiner would have taken the shirt off and thrown it away. Hell, he was considering doing that regardless of the temperature, feeling sick at the thought of wearing something coated in his comrade's blood.

'_I'm sorry, Ymir…' _Reiner closed his eyes and bowed his head. Even though they never liked each other, he had never wished her any harm, and certainly didn't want her to die in such a horrible way.

But he mustn't give in to despair. He can't. Not now. Yes, he may have failed Ymir, but there was the chance the others were still okay. If Sasha listened to him, then she and Krista should be safe somewhere, and hopefully, Marco was able to keep Connie and the others safe.

He owed it to Ymir to find them all again and protect them. It was his duty as a soldier and as a friend!

And to do that he needed to find out where he was, and preferably before the MPs who obviously brought him here came back.

His eyes had adjusted somewhat to the darkness during his attempt to piece together what had happened to him, but even then Reiner could barely see out more than a few metres in front of him. And unless he found some source of light, then that was probably as good as it was going to get.

Still, Reiner could work with that. Steeling himself, Reiner pushed himself up from the cold stone floor, his stiff limbs and joints popping and cracking with the movement. It takes him longer than he's proud to admit to fully stand up, feeling like the strength in his limbs and body had been sapped away, leaving him weak and vulnerable.

He briefly wonders if the MPs had drugged him. That would explain why he felt so weak, and how the MPs had gotten him from the ranch to wherever 'here' was without him realising.

Reiner grit his teeth, feeling violated and disgusted. He would make those MPs pay for what they had done.

For a moment, he thinks about calling out to see if the MPs had dragged anyone else here as well; his friends or the veterans, but quickly decides against it. They could still be knocked out and him calling out to them would only alert the MPs to his presence.

'_Okay… okay… stay calm. Stay calm.' _Reiner steadies himself. _'Think… just think... What would Armin do if he was here?' _

Like many trainees from the 104th, Reiner had asked himself that question many times, but never before had it felt so important.

'_Well, he could just sit tight for a while until Mikasa inevitably arrived, having fought her way through anything and anyone who got in her way, with Eren hot on her heels…' _Reiner shook his head at the image. _'Okay, fine, what would Armin do if he didn't have Mikasa or Eren as friends?'_

Reiner shifted his weight from foot to foot, before taking a cautious step forward. _'He'd probably investigate his surroundings. Try and find out where he was or at least look for stuff he could use.'_

The MPs hadn't taken the time to tie him up or even restrain his hands, so they were either total morons, or they were confident there was nothing he could use against them. The corners of Reiner's lips twitched upwards into a brief but vicious grin, as he cracked his knuckles, starting to feel some of his strength returning. If they thought he wasn't a threat just because he was unarmed then the MPs had another thing coming. He'd get out of here with only his fists if he needed to.

With newfound determination, Reiner started to explore the darkness slowly and methodically, taking careful, silent steps as he snuck through the gloom. Being as big as he was, stealth was hardly his forte, but Shadis had taught him well and Reiner knew how to tiptoe around when he needed to.

He stalked passed large wooden barrels and crates, stacked up on top of each other until they almost reached the arched ceiling. Almost everything he saw was coated in a layer of dust and knitted together with thick cobwebs. Whatever this place was, it didn't get many visitors.

He crouched behind large metal cylinders when he thought he heard something skittered away ahead of him. It was only a rat, but when Reiner placed his hand against the steel vessel to push himself back up, he yanked it back with the sharp hiss.

If the air around him was cold, then those containers were positively freezing. It was like touching a block of ice with hands already soaked in frigid water. Reiner had to shove his hand under his armpit for several moments to offset the chill, before he felt comfortable enough to set off again.

Reiner wasn't sure what was in those tubes, but he doubted it was water.

'_This looks like a storage depot. There's so much crap lying around.' _The rather obvious deduction bounced around inside his head as he peeked around a stone pillar. _'Why would the MPs bring-'_

Reiner shot back behind the pillar, slapping a hand over his mouth and holding his breath as if his life depended on it.

'_Shit, shit, shit!'_

There was the faint outline of a person leaning up against the next column, waiting for him in the dark.

Blood roared in his ears as his heart pounded like a drum. He expected to hear the figure shout out at any moment, either demanding he come out, or calling for reinforcements. It felt an eternity hiding behind that pillar, a hand clamped over his mouth to stop even the smallest sound from escaping his dry mouth.

A second passed, then another, then a few more, yet still the figure did not call out.

'_Did- did they not see me?' _Reiner dared to hope. If it wasn't for the noise it would have made, Reiner would have sighed in relief. He still had the element of surprise, and thus, the upper hand.

Reiner allowed his hand to drop from his mouth, allowing him to take a few soft gulps of air as he crouched down, and readied himself to strike. If this was going to work he needed to hit hard and take them down before they even had a chance to react.

_'Alright, focus. Focus. I can do this, I can do this! Just knock 'em down then give them the old one-two.' _Reiner counted down from five in his head, hyping himself up for what could be the first or last step of his escape. When he reached zero, Reiner burst out from behind the pillar and charged.

His boots slapped against the stone floor, sounding like miniature explosions in the otherwise silent depot. With a loud cry, Reiner slammed into the figure, knocking both of them off their feet and down onto the ground with a mighty crash. They rolled across the floor, struggling for dominance, but with the firm grip Reiner had on the figure's cloak he managed to get on top. He brought his fist up, ready to smash it down onto his opponent's face, hidden beneath a hood which slipped off to reveal…

Wooden pegs.

'_Huh?!' _Reiner froze in place, his fist hanging in the air, still threatening to come crashing down. His chest heaved from the sudden burst of movement, as he stared open-mouthed at the sight.

It was only after a few stupid blinks did Reiner realise what had happened. He had fallen for the oldest trick in the book. The 'figure' he had seen in the darkness wasn't a person at all, it was just a bunch of dusty, worn-out cloaks and jackets hung up on a clothes rack.

'_...I'm such a fucking idiot.'_

If the others ever found out about this he would never live it down.

As Reiner released his white knuckle grip on the pile of clothing, shaking his head at his own stupidity, he spotted something half obscured by the shifting fabric.

It was a rose - the red rose of the Garrison.

Grabbing the cloak again, Reiner pulled it away and gingerly picked up a standard-issue military jacket with the Garrison emblem clearly stitched onto the breast pocket and sleeve.

'_What the hell? Is the Garrison involved as well?' _He tried to imagine the MPs and Garrison working together to attack the scouts and take Krista away, but something felt wrong. Out of place. Why go through all that trouble to keep their involvement hidden then just leave him somewhere with evidence against them?

Reiner ran his thumb over the brown leather jacket, suppressing a cough at the dust brushed off by the action. This jacket and all the other clothes in the pile must have been here for a very long time to collect that much dust. Was this some old military depot?

If so, there was a good chance he was either somewhere within Wall Sina, or way up north where the Garrison didn't have such a strong presence. That would explain why they had left this depot in such a dismal state or abandoned it entirely.

Looking to his right, Reiner spotted a container rack filled with dozens of thick, rectangular boxes just gathering dust. His heart rate picked up at the sight. If his suspicions were correct about this being a Garrison supply cache, then he had a good idea of what those boxes might contain, but at the same time he refused to believe it was possible.

There was no way the MPs were _that _stupid, right?

Crawling over to the rack, Reiner grabbed one of the boxes and pulled into his lap, feeling the weight of it burning against his legs as he fumbled with the latch. His hands were clammy and trembling, not from the cold or fear, but from a nervous excitement which was starting to bubble up within his heart.

When the latch finally clicked open with a metallic snap, the lid sprung open and Reiner started to laugh. He didn't even try to stop himself. If there was someone down here he would have already given away his position thanks to his 'fight' with the clothing rack, so what did it matter if he chuckled to himself in the dark.

He had been wrong about something at least. The MPs really were _that_ idiotic.

Inside the padded box was a complete set of 3DM gear; canisters, blades, straps and all. It would only take a few minutes to put even in the dark, and with that and the Garrison jacket and cloak, he had weapons and a disguise.

When his wheezing laughter eventually died out, Reiner got to work piecing the gear together. If the MPs wanted to leave him with all the stuff he might need to escape, then who was he to look a gift horse in the mouth?

Just like they had trained to do, Reiner had the whole set on within five minutes, letting the familiar tightness of the straps and rubbing of the buckles to wash away some of his lingering nerves. With this on he was unstoppable. With this on he was invincible.

Once the last spare blade was slotted into the holster boxes at his hips, Reiner grabbed a Garrison jacket in his size and threw it on, covering much of his bloody shirt. He hoped there wasn't a rule against pretending to be a soldier of another division, but he reckoned he would be forgiven in this situation. The hooded cloak was next, and so far it was the second most important thing he had found here, since he could use it to hide his face and newly acquired gear at a quick glance. It might only buy him a few seconds, but that moment of hesitation and confusion the MPs might feel at the sight of him could be the difference between life and death.

'_Good idea, Armin. I owe you one._' Reiner thanked the smaller blond in his head, before giving his two blades a test swing, slicing through the air with a satisfying swish.

Now it was time to escape.

The plan was simple. Find a door, sneak out, try and find an MP, take them by surprise and force them to tell him everything, then, if his friends and comrades were here, go rescue them, making sure to kick some serious MP arses along the way in Ymir's name, then lead them out back to HQ in time for tea, and likely an immediate promotion.

Easy.

'_Let's do this.'_

* * *

Thirty Minutes later

'_Fucking finally!' _Reiner cursed having finally spotted a large wooden door after what felt like an eternity fumbling around in the dark. This depot had either been much more extensive than he had expected or he had been walking in circles. Either way, Reiner had almost given up hope of finding an exit when after walking past another dusty clothes rack, he came across a literal breadcrumb trail, in the form of several empty packets of hardtack biscuits discarded on the floor. He had followed those crumpled paper wrappings until he came across an open crate filled to the brim with more MREs.

They weren't coated in dust, which meant the crate must have been opened recently. Probably by the MPs after they dragged him here. Walls know why they would willingly choose to eat those tasteless MREs, but these were the same MPs who were incompetent enough to leave him unattended in a MILITARY supply depot…

Reiner shook his head in disdain. To think he had wanted to join their regiment once.

Looking beyond the opened food crate, Reiner spotted several more opened boxes and barrels laid out before him, as if someone had been searching through them as they passed through. Logically, if the MPs had been searching for MREs as they carried him in, then following the same path of opened crates back would lead him to the exit.

So that's what he did, following the trail of clues foolishly left behind. As he stalked past them, Reiner absently noted what each one contained from cannonballs and cartridges to medical equipment and replacement blades, (and in one barrel which he gave a wide berth too, gunpowder). Everything the military needed to function, further reinforcing his view that this was a Garrison supply cache.

A supply cache, which after so much searching, finally had an exit.

Almost sagging in relief at the sight of the large wooden door, Reiner quickly made his way over to it with an almost feverish spring in his step. He stood in front of it for a moment, gazing at the door like it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. His eyes trailed over every inch of it as if to make sure he wasn't dreaming before they landed on the two brass rings that made up the handles.

With his pale shaking hands and fingers nearly chalk white from the cold, he grabbed the handles and pulled. It should have been locked, but seeing the incompetence of the MPs displayed so far, Reiner isn't surprised when the large oak doors start to swing open. He is surprised however at the deafening metallic shriek that fills the room as the rusty iron hinges twist in their brackets.

The noise sends a chill down Reiner's spine. It sounded like a dying animal screaming out in pain. It made his insides itch.

Wincing in pain, Reiner stopped pulling before the door could fully open, leaving only a small opening for him to slip through. If he pulled any more he'd either deafen himself or alert every living being for a hundred miles of exactly where he was. Reiner didn't find either option particularly enticing, so he settled on squeezing himself through the narrow gap he had made.

It wasn't a pretty picture, nor an elegant one. Still, through a combination of persistence, silent curses, sucking in the gut and shifting the position of his hip boxes, Reiner managed to slip through the doorway from the cold, dark depot, to a cold, dark corridor.

'_Would it kill the MPs to light a torch or something?' _Reiner grumbled as he brandished his blades again. Some light and warmth would be nice, but the darkness would serve him well once he found an MP to sneak upon. He just hoped he wouldn't lose any fingers to frostbite before then.

Reiner hugged the wall as he walked along the bare stone tunnel, making himself small as possible as he strode past several closed doors. At each one he would stop and press his ear against it, hoping, or perhaps dreading, to hear some sign of life. But as he checked door after door, all he was met with was deafening silences. The few doors he dared open, terrified that their hinges would scream as well, revealed only empty cupboards and closets.

But there was one different door.

Reiner smelt it long before it came into view. A sickly sweet aroma permeated the air, like an invisible fog that grew stronger and more pungent with every step he took. It was a familiar smell, one Reiner was sure he had encountered before, yet couldn't put his finger on it.

Like a moth drawn to a flame, he crept over to the offending door, scrunching up his nose at the almost overpowering scent. Like all the other doors he had passed, there was no noise coming from beyond the sealed portal, just the eerie silence and the smell.

Even as his eyes started to water and his throat started to burn, something deep and visceral compelled Reiner to reach for the handle and look inside.

As soon as the door started to swing open the intensity of the stench slammed into Reiner like a punch to the stomach. He gagged and choked on the putrid air that washed over him, driving him to his knees. Through teary eyes, Reiner looked inside the foul-smelling room and saw something straight out of a nightmare.

Propped up against the far wall, clad in a garrison uniform with an old rifle lying beside it, was a withered, mummified corpse.

Its skin (the parts that hadn't rotted away at least) was grey and loose, clinging to rotting muscle as if it had been loosely draped over the corpse like a cloak. The body's hands were black and swollen, thickened with congealed blood to the point they were barely recognisable as belonging to a human.

But its face… Its face was the worst part.

Much of the man's (?) straw-like blond hair was missing, fallen out or blown off with much of the scalp, leaving a large hole behind and long dried stain splattered against the wall. Its cheeks were hollow and thin, and lips which had long since peeled back and rotted away to reveal the yellowed teeth and bone beneath.

And the eyes. Oh, god, the eyes. They were just gone. Nothing remained there except for two infinitely black voids that bored into Reiner's very soul with its haunting visage.

It wasn't the first body Reiner had the misfortune of seeing, but the bodies he had helped clean up in Trost, even though they were missing limbs or torn in half, were at least fresh. They hadn't been half decomposed like this one was.

Whatever confidence and mettle Reiner had been feeling before was shattered like glass. How long had this person been down here for, rotting away bit by bit until only _that _remained? Why the hell had the MPs left it here?! Did they leave it as a warning to others who might try and escape? Was this all some sick game?

Reiner stumbled back, his borrowed gear clanged loudly against the far wall. He felt sick and could feel burning bile rising in his throat. His hand shot up to cover his mouth as he fought to keep it down. It was only the fear that someone might come across him at any moment that stopped Reiner from doubling over and spewing his guts out.

Tearing his gaze away from the horrible sight, Reiner took several deep breaths, trying to ignore the foul smell of rotting meat. He had to stay strong for his friends. They were relying on him, and he wouldn't fail them like he had failed Ymir.

"I- I'm sorry." He breathed out, voice hoarse and cracking, as his eyes burnt with unshed tears. Reiner didn't know what else to do or say for the poor bastard, but he swore to himself that once he escaped, he would do everything he could to ensure this hell hole was investigated, and that this man would finally be laid to rest.

With great effort, Reiner managed to muscle the door shut again, in some desperate attempt to preserve what little remained of that soldier's dignity before he started to limp away, one hand resting over his still roiling as he lurched away from the body.

Reiner continued stumbling through the labyrinth of corridors, unable to get his mind of the sight and smell of that dead man. His head was starting to hurt again, the same sharp tug behind the eyes. With a pained hiss, Reiner ground the flat of his palm against his temple, hoping it might relieve some of the building pressure.

'_Get out of my head. Let me think. I need… I need-'_

"_Reeeeeeeeiiiiiiinnnnnnnneeerrrrr._"

His name came crawling forth from the void, like the faintest breath of morning wind. Reiner went stock still, every muscle in his body tensing up like steel. That voice… he knew that voice!

That was Bertie's voice, Reiner was sure of it. Sure as anything he's ever known. Had his oldest friend been taken by the MPs as well?

The thought made Reiner's heart skip a beat. If those sons of bitches have touched a single hair on his head, Reiner was going to fucking murder them.

"B-Bert?" He choked out, the sound echoing down the corridor. "You here?"

There was a pregnant pause as his own voice faded away. Reiner held his breath, hoping Bertholdt would answer him, to call out joyously or come running to him. Instead, Bert just called his name again, but this time his voice was softer, quieter, as if his friend was moving further away.

"_reeeeeiiiinnnnneerrr._"

"N-no, Bert! Come back! I'm over here!" Reiner shouted out, voice cracking and ears ringing from how loud it was after so much silence. All thoughts of the MPs which could be lurking in the dark vanished in an instant. Bertholdt was down here somewhere, and Reiner _had_ to find him.

Without a second thought, Reiner started to run, speeding down the corridors and pathways, desperately trying to find his friend. He shouted out again and again, but Bert refused to answer back, only murmuring his name like a prayer.

"Come on, Bert! Talk to me! Where are you?!" Reiner followed the voice like a bloodhound, tearing past doors and junctions which blurred in the corners of his eyes.

_"Fiiinnnddd mmeeeee."_

He had to be getting close now, Bert's voice was louder than before. Much louder. As if his old friend was only around the next corner of this maze. Reiner brought his blades up, ready to cut down any MP who might have harmed his friend in a storm of steel.

But as Reiner launched himself around the next corner, nearly skidding into the wall from his momentum, what he saw was not his old friend, nor was it an MP, or anyone for that matter. No, what Reiner saw was light. Dazzling and brilliant, blinding and beautiful. A single slit of light shining down from on top of a grand staircase.

It was sunlight; warm and orange, and so bright that it almost hurt to look at. But look at it he did, eyes wide in disbelief. Reiner could hear the soft blowing of the wind and the sound of birds chirping.

It was the way out, the way to the surface. The way Bertholdt must have gone. Reiner didn't know who else could be down here, but if Bertholdt was up there, that's where he needed to be as well.

Sweating and breathing heavily, Reiner started to ascend the staircase, leaping up multiple steps at a time in his reckless pursuit. He still hadn't spotted any MPs yet, so there was a good chance they were waiting for them on the surface, and if Bertholdt had wandered, or been taken up there, then Reiner needed to save him.

'_Come on, come on!' _

Scrambling up the last few steps, Reiner didn't even stop in the face of the slightly ajar double door blocking his path, and instead simply charged right through it like a living battering ram. The impact which threw both doors open jarred his shoulder, but the pain didn't register in his mind as he barrelled out into the light, another mighty cry on his lips.

"**BERTHO-**"

Blinking in the blinding light of the sun, Reiner choked on the name, like a shard of glass which had been caught in his throat. In one fell swoop, all the air in his lungs was ripped away, and blood roared in his ears.

There was no Bertholdt.

And there were no MPs either.

What there was, however, laid out before as far as the eye could see was a city, deathly silent and deserted. Rows of houses, broken and crumbling, were separated by avenues and streets, whose cobbled paving stones were cracked and overgrown with weeds and vines. Carts and stalls were overturned and abandoned on the ground with whatever they once contained long since rotted away, leaving only the weathered wood and cloth frames behind.

It was like Trost in the days after the attack, but this was no district within Wall Rose, fresh from a barely stopped Titan incursion. No, this city was something far, _far_ worse.

For in the distance, towering over the necropolis like an angry god, stood the shattered inner gate of Shiganshina.

* * *

***gasp* Reiner in Shiganshina?! What's he gonna do there? and will he realise what he is? Will Rowboat ever touch a Reiner chapter again this year or will he have a complete psychological breakdown if he does?**

**Sooo yeah... that was it... sorry.**  
**To make up for this chapter I have a surprise for the first person who comments on AO3 or reviews on FF.**


	33. Déjà vu

**And the winner of surprise is Kohakuu on FF, and the prize is... A double upload!**

**I wasn't lying about the writer's block of the Reiner chapter, I got so sick of it in places that I just started writing the next chapter and started two others for a side project I'm planning.**

**This one is technically filler I guess since we all knew Eren wasn't in the chapel anyway but hopefully its still interesting as I covered a couple of different PoVs and mentalities.**

* * *

Wall Rose - Far North

"Is this the place?" Erwin Smith asked, looking through a spyglass at the small chapel from a distant bluff.

The girl at his side nodded without hesitation, tuffs of her long blond hair slipping out from her hood. "Yes, sir. This is where he took me before handing me over to the cult."

"Very well." Erwin lowered the glass, his face a picture of calm. "Let's get to work."

* * *

Levi looked around, his hard eyes slowly tracing from person to person as they each prepared for what was coming.

Hanji's squad was gearing up, checking blades and gas canisters with grim resolve etched on their faces. They had been the 'easiest' to prepare for this, but even now he could still see the tremble in Rashad's hand or the occasional nervous twitch of Nifa's lips whenever she thought no one was looking.

The kids, however, were another story entirely. Kirstein and Bott looked half-dead already, their faces sickly pale and brows drenched with sweat. Springer's hands were shaking so badly he could barely do up the last strap of his gear, even with the eerily quiet Blaus helping him. Levi suspected she was focusing all her effort on that as to distract herself from what was coming.

Even that Ymir girl looked anxious, continually checking and rechecking her sword hilts, trying to play it off as mere boredom as she shuffled closer and closer to the corp's recently discovered cult baby, Historia Reiss, daughter of the piece of shit who had organised the attack on his squad.

None of them was ready for this, but they had run out of time. What little advice Levi had been able to drill into their heads since they left Ragako the other day would have to do.

"I have to admit Armin, I wasn't sure about this at first, but this is genius! They'll never see it coming!" Hanji's cheery voice as she gushed over Arlert's weird spinning smoke bomb was painfully out of place in the dour atmosphere of the assembled scouts. Like someone cheering at a funeral.

Had it been anyone else Levi might have written it off with their way of dealing with stress but with Hanji it was just as likely she was being her usual unthinking self. When Erwin also added his praise after looking over the hastily assembled explosive, Levi just rolled his eyes.

Those three had been in their own little world during the planning for this strike, seemingly oblivious to how quickly it would all fall apart after Kenny entered the field. They could bring all the smoke bombs, explosives and rifles they want, but ultimately this battle will come down to whether or not he was strong enough to beat Kenny. Everything else will just be window dressing.

Raising from the log he had been sitting on, Levi looked to the one person who actually appeared to be somewhat ready for this.

"Ackerman." He called to her, ignoring the looks he got from the others as he started to walk away from the camp. "Come with me. We need to talk."

He didn't bother checking if the girl was following him, as he maintained his steady gait through the undergrowth to a more private area. Incidentally, that happened to be the very bluff Erwin had spied the chapel from a while ago.

There were no footsteps behind him or the telltale thudding of 3DM gear bouncing against hips or thighs, but Levi knew she was there. She was good enough to not make a sound when walking, but he could feel her presence lingering behind him. With a few more years under her belt, she might become a halfway decent training partner, but Levi was getting ahead of himself. There was a reason he had brought her out here.

"You've killed before." It was a statement not a question, but Ackerman answered regardless.

"Yes, Captain." The girl replied, keeping her voice low but clear, allowing it to carry across the small clearing with ease. "They said at the trial-"

"I'm not talking about the one they mentioned at the trial." Levi cut her off, eyes firmly fixed on the distant church as he stewed in the knowledge that his squad was being held captive beneath it, soon to be sacrificed by those Wall cultists if he didn't rescue them soon. "That may have been your first kill, but it wasn't the last, was it?"

There was a long pause as Ackerman silently debated what she was going to say, before finally answering with some reluctance. "No, Sir… it wasn't."

Levi nodded to himself, his suspicions confirmed. "I thought so. You were a refugee after the fall, correct? Same as Yeager and Arlert?"

Even without looking at her, Levi could tell Ackerman was uncomfortable at this line of questioning. Everyone had heard the rumours about what the Marian refugees had to endure after the fall. The lack of decent food, sanitation and shelter. The diseases which frequently tore through the camps, and almost every crime imaginable from petty theft to assaults, rapes and murders.

It wasn't a pretty picture, and for a young girl like Ackerman with her 'exotic' and unusual features to be living in a camp like that with minimal protection or supervision, Levi wasn't surprised to hear she had killed more than once.

He could have asked for details; about how many and if it had been in self-defence or not, but he didn't. All that mattered was that she had been willing and able to kill multiple times before, and thus could be relied on to do so again.

Turning his head, Levi spotted her inclining her head in a curt nod out the corner of his eye, before turning back to face the church. "The people in that chapel are not some run of the mill, back alley thugs or a drug addict with a kitchen knife. These are professionally trained killers, and they will not hesitate to kill you or your friends. If you want to protect them and get Yeager back, you can't afford to show any mercy once we're down there. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"I do. And I won't."

"Good," Levi nodded to himself, content that his point had been made and understood. "Then you'll be joining me on the first wave after Arlert's little toy goes off. We hit them hard and cut a hole through them for the others to exploit." Then, despite himself, Levi hesitates for a moment, picking his next words carefully. He's never liked talking about his past to anyone, let alone to some kid he's known for less than a month, but not warning her about _him _would be a mistake.

"Listen carefully, Ackerman. There's probably a man down there called Kenny. Tall, old, likely wearing a hat and grinning like a madman. He'll be the one calling the shots. If you see him, or even hear his name being called, you come find me, and then you run. Under no circumstances are you to fight him. Is that clear?"

A flock of birds flew overhead, chirping to each other in the evening sun. Their cawing was the only sound which made it to his ears, instead of the sharp 'yes, sir.' he had been expecting.

"Ackerman," Levi repeats, his voice now hard as stone and cold as ice. "Is. That. Clear?"

"...crystal, Captain." Ackerman finally grinds out, clearly not happy with the restrictions he has put in place. Frankly, Levi didn't give two shits if she was upset. At least this way she might survive.

Believing the discussion to be over, Ackerman turned to walk away, probably so she can go brood over how unfair he is for trying to save her life. Unfortunately for her, he had one last question.

"Arlert's killed as well, hasn't he?" Levi asks, finally breaking eye contact with the church and turning to face the teenager. The way she froze on the spot with that stunned expression on her face is mildly amusing, but it only lasts for a split second before it's wiped away and replaced with a hard, blank mask.

The girl's silence was deafening as she stared at him with those dark grey eyes. He can see her fingers twitch at her side, and he narrows his eyes at her in response. She was trying to work out if she could beat him to the draw.

_'Don't try it, Ackerman. You're not that good yet.'_

Evidently, Arlert's own killings had been a well-kept secret within the trio from Shiganshina, as to his knowledge, it wasn't mentioned in any file or report like Yeager's and her own first time was, but it didn't need to be. Levi could see it in the boy's eyes.

Armin Arlert had definitely killed before.

"When you get back, tell him he'll be in the second wave with Hanji's squad. The kids will follow them. That should give them the highest chance of survival if we do our job right." Folding his arms over his chest, Levi informed his soon-to-be wing-woman before waving her away with a simple gesture.

If their situation wasn't so desperate, it would almost be laughable. To save his squad Levi had to rely on two underaged killers; one a girl young enough and anti-social enough to be his daughter, and a boy with a baby face so intense that made actual infants look old.

What a wonderful mess this was.

* * *

"Ackerman. Come with me. We need to talk."

Armin couldn't help but turn his head at Levi's voice, momentarily ignoring what Hanji was saying as he caught Mikasa's eye as the short Captain started to move away. They looked at each over the heads of their terrified friends for a moment, before Mikasa lightly rested a hand on her hip box and turned to follow Levi, showing she had received his silent plea to be careful.

"Is everything alright, Armin?" Armin suppresses a shiver as he turns back, struggling to meet Erwin's piercing gaze.

"Yes, sir," He answers, looking back at the spinning smoke bomb he had reinvented. "J-just a bit nervous."

Erwin's eyes lingered on him for a moment, briefly flickering towards Mikasa's retreating form before snapping back to him. Armin dare not look again, focusing his entire being on the portable smoke screen.

When he was younger Armin had dreamed of moments like this; Hanji, Erwin and himself all working on some plan, debating tactics and strategies like equals despite their differing ranks and ages, but right now Armin was terrified, and not just because Eren's fate depended on this mission.

Back at the tower where they had waited out the storm, Historia had told them what Erwin had asked her back at Ragako, and it had nearly sent Armin into a coughing fit. Erwin was looking for the Female Titan, and while Armin knew that he would after Mikasa's debut during the expedition, he didn't expect him to start narrowing it down so quickly.

It had only been a handful of days since the mission, and Mikasa had been incredibly careful not to be spotted shifting or exiting her Titan. Except for Lieutenant Ral, the scouts who had seen Mikasa's Titan only had a few seconds to witness her before she fled.

If that was all Erwin had to go on how the hell had he made this much progress already? He may have been wrong with Historia, but she was still part of their group, and that meant he was far too close for comfort.

Armin let out a breath, wondering how everything had gotten so messed up, so quickly?

Annie was gone, and Bertholdt had joined her without a single casualty, and they had been mere hours away from dealing with Reiner. Their victory over the infiltrators had been within reach. Practically at their fingertips.

But now Eren had been kidnapped by Rod and Kenny again, Reiner had fled beyond Wall Rose, Historia's identity had been partially compromised (thankfully her status as royalty was still under wraps), and now he was stuck under the Commander's scrutinising eyes as they set out a plan to rescue Eren.

Armin knew they would have to come clean with Erwin eventually but that moment seemed to be getting closer by the hour. A moment which felt more and more outside of their control and that was a feeling Armin did not enjoy.

Once they got Eren back, maybe it would be time to tell him, even if they lacked any evidence of the claims, but they couldn't risk the distraction that confession would cause right now. Not when Eren depended on them.

'_Hang on, Eren… we're coming for you…'_

"That's to be expected. This isn't the sort of operation any of you have been trained for." Erwin nodded, scratching another arrow into the dirt as an alternative line of attack. Thanks to Historia's inventive storytelling, the Commander had been given a good understanding of what to expect down there in the crystal cave, with its singular entranceway and subsequent kill box.

It had been Hanji's mumblings about this opening and how to stop them getting massacred at the door which allowed Armin to mention creating a smoke bomb from the supplies they had picked up in Yarckel.

"Still, as Hanji said, this bomb of yours is most ingenious. If it works as expected this could save the lives of many of our comrades." Erwin added on, evenly.

"See! I told you he was good, Erwin. My little genius is already making plans and high explosives. I'm so proud." Hanji smiled, an excited glint in her eyes as she ran a hand over one of the bomb's wheels. "He's a mini-you in the making."

Armin tried not to react at that, knowing full well that he was no Erwin, (another questionable advantage of his situation was first-hand knowledge that no one could ever replace Erwin, and certainly not him. He had already failed at that.) but he blushed nonetheless.

'_Stop that. You're acting like a kid again.' _Armin chided himself, before quietly pointing out a possible flaw in the Commander's newest addition to the plan as he tried to get his blush under control.

Armin was so focused on this effort that he missed the curious gaze Erwin gave him as he considered Hanji's words.

* * *

Jean felt sick to his stomach. The meagre breakfast he managed to eat this morning now felt like lumps of lead in his belly, threatening to come hurtling up at a moments notice.

'_Is this really happening?'_ He asked himself, fiddling with the straps crisscrossing his thighs.

It all felt too surreal, like some sick practical joke being played at his expense. Why was this happening? _How_ was it happening?!

Him and all the rest of the 104th, a bunch of fourteen and fifteen years olds fresh out of bootcamp eight months before they should be, had been assigned under the legendary Captain Levi, to take part in some insane, half-baked mission to rescue Yeager and some other scout he didn't know, from Kri- _Historia's _apparent religious lunatic of a father.

And the first two things their newly minted Captain had said to them?

"Make sure you clean this shitty tower floor before you sleep, brats." And then, "The vital spots on the human body are here, here and here, understand? Cut deep enough at any of these spots and your opponent won't be getting up again. Just picture each one like the nape of some dumbshit Titan."

He had told them how to kill people! And it was only later when Commander Erwin explained why Captain Levi had said to them that.

That queasy feeling returned at full force. By the fucking Walls, they were genuinely expecting them to kill people to save Yeager.

"Jean…" Marco was staring at the dirt between his feet, perhaps hoping it would swallow him whole and save him from what was about to happen. Resting across his lap was one of the rifles they had acquired from the Garrison, and for a moment Jean was taken back to bootcamp and the immensely proud smile Marco had worn when Shadis had proclaimed him one of the best shots in the 104th. At the time such an achievement had seemed to herald the start of his successful future as an MPs, but now Jean was sure Marco wished he had never held a firearm before.

That way he wouldn't be expected to lay down fire support with Sasha and Historia once the attack began.

"I-I… I'm scared."

Jean's trembling hands curled into fists, as he tried to keep his erratic breathing under control. He wondered if this was finally the time to employ his family's secret technique? If he was fast and quiet enough maybe he could sneak over to the horses and flee before he was sent off to either kill or be killed.

'_No. I'm not some damn coward like Reiner and Bertholdt. I'm not going to run away and betray everyone as well.'_

"...me too." Jean finally confessed in a soft whisper. He didn't want to die.

* * *

Connie was terrified. He didn't think he had ever been this scared before, not even at Trost. Back then he had been so focused on their desperate battle for survival, that he hadn't had the time to be frightened. Now, however, his fears had been festering for hours on end, as the enviable battle drew closer and closer, hanging over them like last night's storm. Slow, relentless and unavoidable.

"I-I don't know if I can do this, Sash," He choked out, that strange tension between them from yesterday long gone in the face of what Captain Levi and Commander Erwin had told them. "Even if it's to save Eren... killing people… it's not… _I'm not_..."

Sasha kept her head down as she helped check the straps around his waist. "I know… I know… I-I don't like it either, but if we don't get Eren back and _they_ return…" The young woman shivered, shoulders trembling beneath her pale green cloak. "Just- just try to think of them like Titans. That's what Captain Levi said to do. They won't hesitate to kill us, just like those MPs at the ranch."

"How can we just pretend they're not human?!" Connie choked out before looking away, trying to hide his pained expression. "Oh God, what the hell are we doing..."

"Hey," Sasha looked up, revealing her pale face and red eyes. She lightly poked him in the kidney, drawing his attention back to her as she offered a watery smile. "J-just stay with me, okay? We got through Trost, so we can get through this as well. You watch my back, and I'll watch yours, just like then."

Sasha tried to sound confident and reassuring, but neither of them had forgotten just how many close calls they had experienced at Trost, nor how breathtakingly lucky they had been.

She also didn't mention how she had settled on picturing their foes as just slightly bigger (and more dangerous) game which she usually hunted. Sasha reckoned that confession wouldn't go down well.

* * *

Historia picked at the bandages covering her hand, scratching at it like a scab. Such an overt nervous tick would have never been acceptable as Queen, for she needed to be the unwavering stoic pillar which held up the junta, but now her old habits had started to come back with a vengeance.

She never thought she'd be returning to this place, especially not as a rescuer rather than the rescuee. But life had a funny way of subverting her expectations when it came to these things.

"It will start bleeding again if you keep doing that." Ymir mumbled, leaning back against the tree. Her eyes were closed, and hands folded in her lap. To anyone else it might have looked like Ymir was bored, or indifferent about what they were about to do, but Historia knew her better than that.

Ymir was just as worried as everyone else, but she was keeping it hidden behind her aloof mask.

"Sorry," Historia replied softly, resting her bandaged hand on her knee. It didn't hurt that much anymore, but if she had to use her 3DM gear her cut would probably re-open gripping the handles. She wondered if that was part of the reason why she'd been given a rifle instead and told to hang back with Marco and Sasha. That or Erwin didn't want to risk his bargaining chip by having her in the thick of the fighting.

"You sure you don't want me to kick his arse for that? Commander or not, he'd deserve it."

"It's just a cut, Ymir. I don't want to see you imprisoned for something that'll be gone in a week." Historia leaned over, resting her head on Ymir's shoulder. "Please be careful down there."

Ymir's grey eyes flickered open as she twisted her head to plant a kiss against Historia's hair. "I'll be fine. It's you I'm worried about. If those Wall fuckers are after you then you shouldn't be anywhere near here. I don't like it."

"Ymir, I'm not made of porcelain. I'm a soldier, same as you and everyone else. I owe it to Eren to help rescue him."

"_Tsk_. You'd think Mr 'Too angry to die' would have freed himself by now and saved us the trouble of trekking all the way here." Ymir grumbled under her breath. "Is his Titan having performance issues or something?"

"Behave," Historia said, lightly slapping her girlfriend's arm. "And Ymir… it's okay to be nervous. I'm frightened too."

While Ymir didn't reply to that remark, she did allow her head to rest on top of Historia's, the two lovers now leaning against each other as their hands reached out and their fingers intertwined.

There may have been no words said, but Historia knew a 'thank you' when she saw one.

* * *

Mikasa crouched beside Levi by the door, hands wrapped tight around her swords. Armin and Hanji were carefully rolling the bomb down towards them, ready to shove it down the stairs once their attack began. It was slightly unnerving to be so close to a makeshift explosive like this, or at least it would have been had Armin not been the one to make it. She trusted him implicitly, and if he said it was safe, then she'd happily sit next to it for as long as it took.

Behind the bomb the rest of Hanji's squad was waiting alongside Erwin and behind them were the rest of her friends, all silently waiting for Levi's signal. With a steely look of determination, Sasha tied an alcohol-soaked rag around one of her arrows, securing it with a tight knot, preparing herself to ignite the bomb once it had finished rolling to the cavern floor. Much like Armin's bomb, Mikasa had complete trust in Sasha's ability when it came to a bow and didn't doubt her dear friend for a second (even if she hadn't seen Sasha do it perfectly last time, Mikasa had seen her nail a bullseye at hundred yards on a windy day).

"Ready?" Levi asked, keeping his voice as low as possible as he looked at Armin and Hanji then Sasha in quick succession. All three nodded back, as Sasha put the arrow to a torch, setting the tip aflame.

"Then we go in 3… 2… 1…"

The door into the cavern was thrown open, and after opening the two gas canisters strapped to its wheels, Armin and Hanji pushed the bomb with all their might, sending it hurtling down the stairs like an angry bull. Clattering down the smooth crystal stairs to the ground, Sasha was already surging forward and taking aim before it even stopped spinning, expertly predicted where the barrel would finally land.

The arrow was loosed, fired from the drawn bow with a twang. It soared through the air like a shooting star and landed on its target with pinpoint accuracy. The arrow and the burning rag it mounted was forced through the wooden barrel, piercing through the planks with ease and igniting the gunpowder stored within. Less than a second later the bomb detonated with a thunderous boom, filling the area with a cloud of acrid, pitch-black smoke.

Sasha had played her part perfectly. Now it was their turn; her and Captain Levi, two of the strongest people on earth.

If they hadn't taken Eren from them again, Mikasa might have felt pity for the interior squad.

Levi beat her through the door, slipping past Sasha and leaping forward into the air. Mikasa would never admit it aloud, but despite how annoying and abrasive he could be, the speed and agility at which Levi could move with his gear never ceased to amaze her. She knew others thought the same about her, (Armin and the others had repeatedly said as much to her both lifetimes) but when Captain Levi was truly giving it his all, he was in a completely separate category. Every movement was inhumanly fast and fluid, all carefully considered and planned out yet appearing as instinctual as breathing.

Maybe he _had_ come out of the womb with his gear on like the rumours said.

Mid-leap Levi fired his anchors through the smoke and he vanished, darted forward at breakneck speed before circling round the cloud and pillars to spot their enemies.

However, despite his speed and skill, Mikasa wasn't going to let Levi do all the work. Moments after he took off, she did the same, leaping straight off the stairs, and after allowing herself to free fall for a bit, also firing off her hooks so she could swing round in the opposite direction, to catch the unprepared MPs in a perfect pincer attack.

But as she shot round the smoke like a speeding bullet, blades ready to cut through her foes like she had done so many times before, Mikasa felt a pit starting to grow in his stomach and one unrelated to g-forces being inflicted on her body.

Despite being ahead of her, Levi still hadn't shouted out how many MPs there were like he was supposed to, and as far as Mikasa was concerned, there were only two possible reasons for that. One was that the stubborn gremlin of Captain had been killed before he even had the chance (which was about as likely as a baby beating him in a fistfight, and she would have the gunshots anyway) or... or there were no MPs to report.

Mikasa reeled herself in, landing hard on one of the pillars. She could hear the rest of the group filling through the door and the telltale hisses and thuds of 3DM gear being activated, but her gaze was firmly fixed a few columns over where Levi had come to a stop. Even from this distance, Mikasa could see the look of confusion on his face as his eyes darted around trying to spot opponents that just weren't there.

"Clear!" He shouted out after a second's hesitation, before catching her eye and pointing deeper into the cavern. "Ackerman, keep moving! Search and clear!"

She nodded and took off even as her stomach plummeted further down to her feet. The two of them flew past pillar after pillar, seeing nothing but shining blue stone, as they pushed further unknowingly heading (for Levi anyway) towards the altar where the founder had been passed down the Reiss line for generations.

But before that outcrop even came into view, Mikasa knew that anymore searching was pointless. Deep down she had known the truth from the moment Levi hadn't called out numbers.

The interior squad wasn't here.

That meant Kenny wasn't here.

That meant Rod wasn't here.

And that meant Eren wasn't here.

It was only them in this cave, and for perhaps the first time since she returned to the past, Mikasa had no idea what came next.

* * *

**And yes that is a reference to a certain show, and I feel no shame for doing it.**

**Also since its been a while might as well mention some of my thoughts regarding snk atm. Firstly I guess big F in the chat for Hanji. Secondly, does anyone else just find this whole thing to be bizarre rn?**  
**Like Eren's reasonings seem to be contradictory, on one hand, he is saying "I won't leave paradise to fate", then the very next line is basically "I'm leaving it up to you lot to decide." and on top of that, we have the nonsense "I won't take your freedom away." remark.**  
**Now I understand the whole thing is on some level Yams just saying 'look we all want a big fight to happen even though Eren has pretty much god-like power and this is the reason why they can fight' but it still doesn't make sense. Eren happily took away their freedom and stopped them from fighting when he threw them in jail before activating the rumbling. And why would Eren allow Pieck, Reiner and Falco to shift? They are hardly his friends, so why is he giving them the option to fight? The only thing I can think of is that for whatever reason Eren wants all the nine titans to converge in one place.**  
**Feel free to say I'm in denial or something but it just seems really weird to me.**

**Can I just say thank you all for the feedback for the last chapter. Its only been a few hours but so far all the comments and reviews have been positive and supportive, and its certainly remotivated me after the nervous wreck I was in before lol.**


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